A Different Start: American Harry Prequel
by DarkeStar
Summary: Harry's godmother gains custody of a young HP and escapes to America where he learns a new way of magic and carves a new path for himself. Powerful/Independent Harry, eventual slash, OCs, pre-Hogwarts. Reg. updates.
1. Chapter 1

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Story Info: PLEASE READ – IMPORTANT – THANK YOU

This is a prequel to a story that has not been written yet. It focuses solely on Harry and the people around Harry. There will be no visits from anyone in Britain and no scenes focused on them. This story is to introduce you to Harry, Harry's life and the people that are important to Harry in America. Rest assured you will have some idea of what's going on over there over the course of the story.

Later, Harry will go to Hogwarts, but he won't be starting until fourth year. He will not be a Gryffindor. Harry will be going to an elite American school until then. He will move to Britain and live with Sirius after Sirius is freed after POA (events altered, of course). This will be slash. I repeat, this will be SLASH, SLASH, SLASH. Expect Sirius/Remus, HP/Draco, HP/Neville, HP/OMC, and likely others (he is a teenager and teenagers do date).

Harry has a godmother, Melaina, who was chosen by Lily. She is a squib from a pureblood family (not one of the big names). Melaina has little love for magic for very good reasons, but she met Lily, adored Lily, and they became fast friends. Through Lily, Melaina is drawn back into the magical world after some time away. She meets a wizard, loves him, marries him, and loses him to the war. When the Potter family goes into hiding, she retreats to the Muggle world, having no ties left to the magical.

The war ends, she learns Harry survives but thinks Sirius has him. Sometime later she learns that Sirius doesn't, the Dursley's do, and she finds him and spirits him away to America after she has enough with Dumbledore being a little too over-protective. This is where the story starts.

There will be some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (on Ygroup), and OCs, OCs, OCs. But rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. This story is about a Harry who is very intelligent, and yet still a kid. He's very powerful, but he has his limits and his achievements are not all easy. He's confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. He's learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world than what he'll know when he goes to Britain. Also, this is not a bash Dumbledore story, but this is not a love Dumbledore story either. I have plans to include info from all seven books.

AN: Not beta read. And the first three chapters or so are slow and a bit boring. Harry is young and I have to set up everything before I can dive into the story. It gets better once I do.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with slightly revised version to make it more readable

THANK YOU – ENJOY – REVIEW

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 01

* * *

Melaina stared in slowly growing horror at the cupboard door. "You must be joking…"

The silence that greeted her was more than answer enough. A glance over revealed stony and unrepentant stares and she looked away from them in disgust.

An odd little noise came from the cupboard beneath the stairs, a breathy, low sound. Melaina knelt quickly, fingers fumbling with the door for several seconds before she managed the simple lock and opened it. "My God…" she bit her lip as she stared in outright horror at the small child curled up inside, seemingly asleep, damp with sweat, shifting uneasily with a nightmare. The little odd noise came again as the boy whimpered, curling in on himself a little more.

She reached out with unsteady hands to touch the stained, over large shirt the child wore, and then the thin, pale arm that felt slightly dirty to the touch. She had to resist the urge to start screaming and swearing at the creatures that stood down the hall, watching her with closed in, pinched expressions. Instead she leaned forward to gently pick up the thin boy.

He was light in her arms, too light for someone his age. Not as light as she'd feared he'd be from his appearance, but still far too light. She sincerely hoped it was the over large shirt that made him look so small and lost.

She stood slowly, carefully moving the boy so as not to wake him. She had to resist kicking the cupboard door shut; she settled for giving the other occupants in the hall a look of absolute loathing as she passed by them. She was almost to the door before the stupid looks on their faces were replaced by worried frowns.

"Hey now!" It was the fat walrus of a man, voice booming. She turned to give him a glare and wished for the first time in years that she had the magic to strike him down. He quailed a little at the look before regrouping with a throat clear, his chins wobbling. "We were told by that Bumblebore person-"

"It's changed," Melaina told him coldly.

"I'm really not so sure…" the horse of a woman trailed off at her glare and then rallied as well. "You're not even one of them-"

"No, I'm not," Melaina interrupted harshly. "I'm worse." She gave them a humorless smile. "I'm what they call a freak."

They recoiled. Melaina turned back to the door and managed to open it without jostling the child in her arms too badly. She took great satisfaction in closing the door with her foot, leaving behind a dark smudge. She hurried to the street and the waiting car, never once looking back.

* * *

She stared into the somber blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Head Whatever of Whatever and Whatever. She couldn't have cared less if she'd tried.

A part of her wanted to nod and say she understood that Harry needed the protection of his family; the point Dumbledore was trying so hard to make her understand. But there was another part of her, a larger part, that didn't see those beguiling blue eyes. They saw green eyes, green eyes that belonged to a little boy in too large clothes. A little boy who had woken in her bed, looked at her with eyes that shouldn't have been so calmly accepting, and just waited to see what would happen. Eyes that had been heartbreakingly trusting after a hot meal and a hot bath and several hugs.

That part of her said 'I know you, Albus Dumbledore. I know you mean well, in some way. But you're what they call a great man, and great men don't mean well for a single person, for the individual. Great men mean well for people. And that little boy is a person. Even if you don't see it, I do, and I will be damned if I let you have your way.'

The twinkling, patient blue eyes dimmed a little under her hard stare. Melaina lifted her head high. "No."

"Melaina, I think you're making a mistake-"

"No, I'm not," she interrupted. "And I won't back down. Not from this."

He stared at her another moment and she met his eyes, willing him to see just how determined she was. And then she turned from his gaze and walked away, legs feeling like jelly, back itching from his lingering stare, heart hammering in her chest, but feeling lighter than air somewhere in her soul.

* * *

Melaina couldn't help but smile fondly as she watched Harry, sitting on several books to even reach the table, eating a peanut butter sandwich with careful delight. He had no idea the battle that had raged around him in court as Melaina had fought with everything she had at her disposal, and some things she actually didn't, for the right to raise her own godson. But she'd won.

The flickers were worrying, though. The little glimpses of movement she caught out of the corner of her eye. It was usually when she glanced out of the windows of the flat, but she saw them occasionally when she was out with Harry. They were too common to be the usual tricks of the light most people saw.

As a squib, Melaina was quite aware that lazily placed concealing charms would sometimes flicker in and out; just as she knew that because she was a squib no one would ever think her capable enough or knowledgeable enough to spot them for what they were. But she did. And she didn't like the thought of invisible, magic-using watchers.

She glanced out the window behind her for just a second. There were no flickers to be seen, but she knew that for every flicker she saw, there would have to be several more competent or less lazy watchers.

She went over to where Harry sat and lifted him up, peanut butter sandwich, sticky hands, and all, and settled in the chair beside his own with him in her lap. He looked up at her with a heartbreaking grin and offered her the sandwich.

"No, baby, it's yours. But thank you."

He looked at her for a few more seconds before focusing his attention on the sandwich and the all important task of peeling it apart to lick the peanut butter from the bread. And he never said a word.

She smoothed back his unruly black hair and tried not to worry about that on top of everything else. She'd had him several months and she had yet to hear him make a single conscious noise. And the little whimpers and murmurs in his sleep were hardly anything. She longed to her his voice.

She looked past him into the living area that had gradually morphed into a bedroom. The rooms looked strangely bare to her, though she'd been careful to make sure a casual observer would think little of it. At the moment her most prized possessions were in the boot of the car, and when she left for her weekly food shopping tomorrow she had no intention of ever coming back.

It'd been hard to plan and pull off, but it helped that Melaina knew how the average witch and wizard mind worked. Logic did not often enter into their already fuzzy worlds. By the time it occurred to them that she was taking longer at the store than usual, and then finally realized that she wasn't at the store at all, she'd be on her way to another city. She didn't even know where yet, she just knew anywhere else would be better, and the farther away the more time it'd take them to find her.

"None of that nonsense for you, baby," she murmured into the tickling black hair. "Not for a good, long time if Godmommy Mellie has anything to say about it."

* * *

Melaina loved it when it rained.

Those bothersome little flickers that she'd started to notice again couldn't hide from the rain. Most people would dismiss the vague shapes, or the eyes would just skip over an area that seemed a little drier than it should have been, but she'd long trained herself to notice just those things.

Harry made a little noise and she looked away from the living room windows with a smile. He gave her a smile back and made another, quiet noise, looking down at the book Melaina had been in the middle of reading before the rain had distracted her.

She put the book aside and gathered him up into her lap snugly, grabbing the blanket folded behind her and shaking it out over them. She settled the book on his lap and he reached out to help hold down the pages, smiling faintly at her through his fear, eager to please. She gave him a small smile and kiss and nodded to the book. When he looked back to it, she curled one hand over his and with the other pointed to the words as she read them into his ear. Gradually he relaxed against her, ignoring the rain.

Sometimes she tried to imagine what it must have been like, pounding rain and crashing thunder heard from inside a small cupboard under the stairs. Most of the time, she didn't want to. She saw clear enough the way he went stiff and withdrawn any time there was a thunderstorm. And then Melaina would light a dozen candles, turn on every light, and they'd sit together as she read to him and he turned the pages, snuggling back against her as they lost themselves in worlds of big, bright illustrations and simple, easy words.

Melaina loved it when it rained.

* * *

They were packed and ready to go. Ellen had the key to her flat and a list of things to box up for storage once they'd left. Penny had bought the tickets and gotten her long distant cousin to agree to let them stay. They had reservations at a very nice hotel several towns away from there, a place that Melaina planned to never even go near.

It would all seem quite sudden. Melaina was very proud of that.

She wasn't sure what she'd do once they were actually in Canada, far away from England and their invisible watchers. She figured she'd have at least a day's head start, leaving as she planned. It'd take that long for them to figure out what had happened.

After that, Melaina hoped that they'd have a week or more before the invisible watchers had the chance to reappear. Magical travel might get people to places faster, but there were limitations of all sorts and Melaina prided herself on having studied more about the magical world than most people who could do magic. Magical law and international relations were even stickier than honey.

Melaina had the vague idea of visiting the United States. She'd heard people could easily get lost there. She'd also heard that Americans did strange, odd things. She rather suspected that she'd find the place to be remarkably similar to Britain in a lot of ways, but she hoped the place would be mysterious and strange enough that they might find a way to get lost there.

Actually moving there would be a hassle. There were all sorts of things she'd have to do, papers and things she'd have to sign, and who knew what else. But if things went well on this vacation of sorts, if she could get enough organized, if she had just a week or two break from the watchers, she had every intention of doing whatever it was that needed to be done.

Harry sighed in his sleep and gripped her fingers even more tightly, drawing her hand close to his body.

Actually moving there wouldn't be a hassle, she told herself once Harry had settled again into a peaceful sleep. Nothing could ever truly be a hassle if it made this little boy happy.

* * *

"And so I told Stan to just- what's the word you use?"

"Bugger off?" Melaina asked with amusement.

"Yeah. I told him to just bugger off. Not those words, of course, but you know what I mean. I actually said something far too inappropriate to repeat with little ears about."

Melaina smiled a little. "Yeah."

Trisha rubbed her hands together and went over to the sink to wash the flour off. Melaina glanced into the front room where Harry was sitting on the carpet, concentrating intensely on his building blocks. She had no idea what he was building, but he seemed to be getting on well enough with it.

"How do you like it over here so far?"

"Not too different really. There are obvious differences, of course, but people are pretty much just people doing every day things." And, Melaina added to herself as she began to cut up a tomato for the pizza, after seeing the difference between Muggle and magical people, the differences between Muggle and Muggle people were hardly noticeable.

"True enough, I guess." Trisha glanced over to check on Harry as well, grinning at the blocks strewn all about her living room, a brightly colored mine field that required them to watch their step or hop around in pain. Melaina couldn't help but feel a little swell of affection Trisha.

She'd liked Penny's cousin well enough, but Elisa was a little too quiet and orderly for Melaina's comfort. If it hadn't been one thing, it'd been another, but the worst of it was toys. Elisa had insisted that any toy not being played with right then had to be put away, making playtime more of an uncomfortable chore than a lovely pastime.

When she'd had the good fortune of meeting Trisha, another long distant cousin of Penny's, Melaina had been a day away from getting them a hotel room somewhere. Harry uncomfortable when playing had been bad enough, but she was quite unwilling to see Harry clutching a single toy to his chest protectively and looking longingly at his play chest but not being willing to go near it for fear of Elisa's displeased scowl.

"He must be one of the most patient children I've ever seen," Trisha said with amusement, going back over to her dough. "Maybe my family just spits out hyper kids, but I've never seen a kid able to sit for hours working on one line of blocks to get them just right."

"Some kids are like that, I guess." Melaina shrugged. A few moments later the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," she told Trisha as the other reached hastily for a towel.

"Thanks."

As she passed Harry, she reached down to ruffle his hair. He grinned up at her before looking back to his blocks.

She peered out of the little window beside the door and wasn't sure what to make of the man and woman standing on the other side, dressed in casual suits and looking comfortably official. She would have called out to Trisha to see if she had any idea what this was, but that would have given away that she was right by the door and there hardly seemed to be any point.

She opened the door, but kept her hand on the knob. "Yes?"

"We're looking for Melaina Pennyworth, please," the man told her. "Is she here?"

Melaina shook her head in shock. "What?"

"Melaina Pennyworth. Is she here?"

"What do you want with her?"

The woman glanced beyond Melaina, into the room. Her eyes settled on Harry with an interest that made Melaina uncomfortable and closed the door more, putting her body into the gap.

"Are you Melaina Pennyworth?" the man asked after studying her for a moment.

"Who are you?"

"I'm David Albrun. This is Kathryn Merris. We're with the USAS."

"Excuse me? With what?"

"The USAS," David said patiently. "It's a government department of the USMA."

Melaina closed the door a little more, getting an uncomfortable suspicion about them at the unfamiliar terms. Granted, Melaina didn't know much about the American government and all of its little programs, but this sounded big and she knew the big ones.

"What is that? What do you want?"

They exchanged a look and the woman began to speak. "You don't recognize USMA?"

"No, I don't."

"United States of Magical America?" she asked softly.

Melaina had to resist the urge to slam the door in their face. She didn't bother to resist a deep frown bordering on a scowl. "What do you want?" she asked curtly. "We're in the middle of making dinner."

"Well." They exchanged another look. "You're traveling with Harry Potter, aren't you?"

"I'm his legal guardian," Melaina told them tightly. "I have every right to vacation with him."

"We were contacted by Albus Dumbledore acting for the British Ministry for Magic. He believes that you seem to have no intention of returning and he has concerns for your safety. He wishes us to cooperate in efforts to ensure the necessary security measures are taken with you and your charge."

Melaina had to resist the urge to snap and growl, slam the door, and run away until she'd escaped everything to do with magic. But there was something in the woman's expression that suggested that even though Albus Dumbledore acting for the British Ministry for Magic wished them to cooperate, Albus Dumbledore acting for the British Ministry for Magic could waste an entire fortune on wishes and he still might not get what he wanted. It made Melaina hesitate as she considered her response.

"Mel?" Trisha called from the kitchen. "Who's at the door?"

"It's for me," Melaina called back. "I'm going to step outside for a minute, okay?"

"Okay."

Melaina slipped out and closed the door, resisting the urge to lock it behind her. It'd make no difference to someone holding a wand. She settled for leaned back against it. "So?"

The woman smiled a little. "So we'd like to know what you do plan on doing. You're supposed to go back in about a week, but he's informed us that you've let go of your apartment over there and it's been cleaned out. He's concerned you have no intention of returning."

"Well, I obviously have to go back, don't I?" Melaina asked irritably. "It's not as if I could just _not_ go back and expect that I could just stay here."

"Really?" The woman's tone suggested, 'and yet somehow I think you were planning just that.'

Melaina bristled a little. "Really."

There was a tiny little knock from the other side of the door followed by the sound of the door handle being rattled. Melaina bit her lip, but she couldn't just ignore that sound. She turned and opened the door cautiously, peering in, and when Harry held his arms out to be picked up, eyes big and worried, she scooped him up and held him close. She smoothed his hair and kissed his brow before turning around to stare almost defiantly at the USAS people watching her.

"Do you have anything else to say?" Melaina asked after a few moments.

"As we understand it, you _have_ looked into moving over here," the woman said, expression a little softer as she studied Harry.

"So?"

The man and woman exchanged a glance. "To be frank, we've heard about your struggle for custody over there and we suspect…"

"That you're trying to escape the watchful eye of certain people over there," the man finished with a bit of a shrug.

"Well, our bosses suspect, actually," the woman added. "But it's the same thing."

"So what do you want?" Melaina asked, trying to keep her voice light and friendly now that she had a little one with his head on her shoulder.

"It's a bit complicated…" the man hesitated for a moment before smiling. "Well, not so complicated really. If you want to move over here, the USAS would like to help."

"Why? And what on earth is this USAS thing?"

"United States Auror Service. And because-"

"How does it concern a magical police force when someone wants to move?"

"Normally this would fall to another department, but given that we were contacted because it was a security matter, and given that there would be other security matters to consider, it's a USAS concern."

"As for why," the man picked up, "that is a bit complicated. But…" They exchanged another look. It was starting to get on Melaina's nerves. "You seem the type to appreciate frank honesty," the man ventured.

"Yes," Melaina said a little more shortly than she'd intended.

"Quite honestly, we, the USAS and magical America as a whole, we don't want anyone, anywhere telling us what to do," the woman said with amusement. "So this Dumbledore's attitude has more than a few people a little irritated. Beyond that, we can also appreciate someone who doesn't want anyone interfering in their life."

"And we think its dead wrong to put a child into a bad situation just for the sake of safety," the man said with a frown.

Melaina hesitated, studying them. "Well, um…"

The door opened behind Melaina and Melaina gave a start, looking back. "What?"

"Just making sure Harry's out here," Trisha said, eyeing the other two.

"Yeah, he's fine. We'll be in shortly. We're fine."

"All right." Trisha eyed the two USAS one last time before closing the door slowly.

Melaina looked back to the two visitors and studied them, puzzled. "Are you two serious?"

"Very."

Harry suddenly giggled a little and pointed at the woman. "Nice."

Melaina pushed his hand down gently, murmur, "Don't point, baby."

"Nice," Harry repeated.

"Yes, baby." Melaina kissed the top of his head and looked up at the strangers. "Listen… can we talk about this later?"

"Of course."

"Anytime. Here." The woman held out a business card.

Harry grabbed it before Melaina could reach out for it and he fixed it with a very serious stare, like he could actually read what it said. After a few moments he tucked it into his shirt pocket with great care.

With a warm smile the woman pulled out another card. "Just in case," she said with amusement.

Harry didn't even spare this one a second glance and Melaina took it. She glanced at it almost absently before taking a second, surprised look. "Wait. What? There's… these are phone numbers."

The man gave her an odd look. "Well, yeah."

Melaina looked back down. "And… a Floo address, mailing address, fax number, pager, and a… an avia name?" Melaina gave them a puzzled look.

"If you happen to have an owl, carrier pigeon, or one of the other six approved mail carrier birds."

Melaina let out a startled little laugh. "Are you serious?"

The woman nodded. "Quite. We try to coexist with the nonmagical world while remaining magical."

"Huh." She tucked the card into her pocket, shaking her head. "You do seem to wear those clothes better than most witches and wizards would."

"That's because we wear them all the time."

"What about your robes?" Melaina asked curiously.

They shared a look. "Only for very formal, very traditional occasions."

"Thank Oz," the man muttered.

Melaina began to get the feeling she was on the edge of a very different wizarding world than she was used to. She couldn't help but be intrigued. "All right. I'll call you. But that doesn't mean anything. Got it?"

"Of course."

"And looking forward to it," the woman said with a smile.

With that they stepped back, glanced around and disappeared. She went with a little pop and he with an odd little ping.

Melaina glanced down at Harry. Harry was staring at a space to the left of where they'd been standing. Melaina rolled her eyes and took him back inside.

* * *

Melaina stared down at Harry's unruly black hair, idly rubbing his back as he slept soundly, curled up in her lap. Her visit with those American Aurors had been… surprising was the only word that could describe it.

They'd had a lot to say, and Melaina had had a lot of questions. The three of them must have talked for three hours over coffee, tea and cookies while Trisha babysat Harry. And at the end of their conversation they had made the no-strings-attached offer to help her move to America, get set up and be safely hidden with magic. They'd said they'd even leave her alone, aside from the occasional visit to make sure she and Harry were all right. And they'd do it all without her ever having to leave America.

She just wasn't sure what to do. They'd been kind and helpful, patient, thoughtful and very thorough. She'd tried everything she could think of to make them slip up if they weren't telling her everything, but they never did. It sounded and felt entirely genuine and she badly wanted to jump on the offer before they even had a chance to reconsider it. She'd had more than enough magical interference in her life; she'd never put up with it again from anyone if she could possibly prevent it.

"Oh, be honest with yourself," Melaina muttered, glancing over at Harry. He was completely absorbed in watching a show about colorful little puppet creatures called Fraggles. He let out a little giggle at something.

Watching him, Melaina had to admit that unless she suddenly uncovered this huge, terrible thing that would make Britain and its wizarding world seem like a fairytale dream, she'd be accepting their offer. She hadn't seen Harry smile so much since he'd been over here.

She wasn't sure why or how or if it'd go away if they returned to Britain, but there was something over here that had turned her somber little boy into a more light-hearted and open child in barely two weeks. It was the biggest change she'd seen since she'd taken him away from the Dursley creatures.

And here was a chance to start over, far away from the whole mess. Perhaps that was something they both needed.


	2. Chapter 2

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. I can't even pay library fines that are overdue.

Warnings & Story Info: Some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (Ygroup), OCs. Rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. Harry is: very intelligent, still a kid, powerful with limits, confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. Dumbledore dislike story, not a bash story. Will include info from all seven books.

Prequel is of a work not written yet. It focuses solely on Harry in America with no scenes or in-depth info about anyone in Britain. Harry is learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world in America. Harry will go to Hogwarts fourth year, not as a Gryffindor; he attends an elite American school until then. He moves to Britain once Sirius is freed.

AN: PLEASE READ AUTHOR NOTES. Or at least skim them. There is usually important chapter, Ygroup, or other information in author notes. This benefits you. Thank you.

AN1: To understand the tension later in this chapter it helps to know the year is 1986. 1986 saw the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion. Under ordinary circumstances she might not have reacted so emotionally, but she's still stressed from the end of the war, her fight for Harry, the move, etc.

AN2: Not beta read. And the first three chapters or so are slow and a bit boring. Stick with it, it gets better once I'm done setting things up.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with slightly revised version to make it more readable.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 02

* * *

Melaina held up two pairs of shoes for Harry to choose from even though she knew without a doubt which ones he'd want to wear. One pair was sensible white tennis shoes. The other pair was blue with darker blue shooting comets on the side and bright orange laces. He chose the blue ones. Melaina suspected that his obsession with bright and unusual colors had to do with the fact the Dursleys didn't seem the type to put up with that sort of imaginative nonsense.

"You remember we're moving today, right?" Melaina asked Harry cheerfully as she helped him put on a pair of socks.

"Uh huh."

"And we're going to adopt new names, right?"

"Uh huh."

"And what's your new name?"

He gave her a look that almost seemed exasperated. The little show of spirit lifted her mood like few things could. "Jamie."

"And mine?"

"'Aney."

She laughed. "That's right. Laney." She tapped his right foot with his right shoe and then let him work at putting it on with only a little help. As independent as he had learned to be, even this young, he still craved a little bit of doting. Melaina was more than happy to dote. "Laney Featheridge. And you're Jamie Featheridge."

"Uh huh."

Melaina smiled and kissed the top of his bent head as he tried to tighten his laces. "Need a little bit of help, baby?"

He tugged his laces intensely without saying anything at first and Melaina didn't try to prompt him. She'd learned that sometimes he just wanted to really think about it before answering.

He nodded at last. "Uh huh."

"All right." She set to helping him. He watched her hands closely, as if trying to memorize every movement for the next time. "There we go, all set." She held out the other shoe and the process repeated, a little more quickly than the first. "And we're all done."

"Done," Harry repeated with a nod.

Melaina smiled softly and pushed his hair from his face. "Ready to go, baby?"

He held out his arms in answer and she picked him up easily. He reached out to touch her nose lightly and the touch made him smile and give a single half giggle as he snuggled against her, resting his head on her shoulder. Melaina kissed his hair and turned her attention to one last look at the hotel room to be sure she had everything.

"Well, I think we're ready. Off to Wisconsin with us."

"Wiscon'in," Harry mumbled.

"That's right." Melaina kissed his hair again, trying not to worry about how little he still said. She was honestly glad he was talking at all, but she still couldn't help feel he ought to be doing a little better. She decided she'd give him a little longer, let him settle in, before involving someone else.

"The land of cheese," Melaina added after a moment.

Harry giggled. "Cheese."

"That's right. Cheese. Maybe we'll buy a farm one day," she teased. "Get some moo cows."

Harry giggled. "Moo cows."

"Moo cows and cheese."

Harry giggled again.

Melaina left the hotel room with a smile, telling herself that she was off to live a better life, free of the worst ghosts of her past as Laney Featheridge.

* * *

Laney stared at the television with growing horror. The destruction on the screen reminded her painfully of The War that was still too fresh in her memory, never mind that it had been caused by nothing more sinister than a tornado.

She fought down the urge to laugh. Nothing more sinister? It might have been natural causes and not deliberate, evil magic, but an entire town destroyed and almost half of its residents dead in a single night…

She fumbled for the remote and turned the television off after several tries, and then she just breathed, feeling strange, security shaken. The idyllic little countryside that had been so peaceful suddenly seemed filled with danger. She hated the helpless feeling that filled her, far too reminiscent of The War, doing nothing but sitting on the sidelines while the people she had come to love despite herself ran off to die heroic, tragic, magical deaths.

Laney looked around the little house. The walls were freshly painted, the last of the new furniture had just arrived and been set up, the last of her belongings from Britian had just been set out, and the house had started to feel like a home. But now she wanted nothing more than to pack Harry up, stuff the car full of their most precious things, and drive far, far away from this place where tornados could destroy entire towns in a single night with no warning.

The phone rang, making Laney jump and drop the remote. She scrambled for the phone as it rang a second time, grabbing it just as it finished. She managed a breathless, "Hello."

"Did I wake you, Laney?"

"Susan! Have you seen the news?"

"Yeah, that's why I was calling. I know you're sort of close to it over there. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, but no, but yes. I mean." She took a deep breath and licked her lips. "We're both fine. Nothing happened. But this is just- God! That could have been us!"

"The magical warning system is a bit better than that," Susan told her soothingly.

"But it still could have happened here!"

"Well, yes, it could have," the woman on the other end admitted.

"I can't stay here with that- that- that sort of danger looming over us all the time!"

"Calm down, Lane. I imagine Jamie's still asleep."

Laney calmed down instantly. "Yes." She glanced at his half open bedroom door. "Yes, he is."

"Right. Now, you said you can't stay there? You want to relocate?"

"Well, I- I mean, I'd like to, but- I don't think it's a good idea. Jamie's just settled, and- well, you know."

"Yeah, I know. Well, if you- hold on, Lane, my pager just went off." There was a bit of silence and Laney found herself twisting the telephone cord all around her fingers and making a hopeless mess of it. "Hey, Lane, I gotta go," Susan said, sounding more serious. "I'm Disaster Relief and we're getting called out. There must have been some magical presence in that town."

"Oh god," Laney breathed.

"Hey, they're protected," Susan reassured. "They're protected. Magic and all. We just have to respond if the disaster zone has magical presence. But there's nothing to worry about, people know how to respond magically to this sort of thing."

"I don't have magic."

There was a brief silence on the other end. "We'll get some heavy duty wards put up for you, even better than what you've already got. Unless you decide to move, of course. Your choice."

Laney licked her lips. "We'll see."

"Don't worry, Lane. You will be protected, one way or another."

"Yeah…"

"But I've got to go. You two take care. Bye."

"Yeah. Hey, stay safe."

"You, too. Bye." The line clicked. Laney hung up the phone and fought briefly to free her hand from the cord.

"Goh…ma," came a sleepy little voice behind her, broken up by a yawn. Laney turned with a weak smile that lifted into something a little more honest at seeing Harry in his little frog pajamas, tugging a blanket along with him, still looking half asleep on his feet. "Godma?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Some'un wrong?"

Laney hesitated a moment before smiling softly. "Not anymore."

"Okay." He held out his arms to be picked up and she scooped him up and cradled him close. As he cuddled trustingly into her she decided that it might disrupt his peace to move again, but it wouldn't be good for him if she could never relax here where monstrous weather could do easily wipe out entire towns.

* * *

"Well?"

Harry ran down the hall, giggling with sheer delight as he headed straight for the large window across from her bedroom. The window looked down over a backyard fully equipped with a deluxe set of playground equipment that Laney was quite sure no one had mentioned to her.

She gave the blonde woman beside her a raised eyebrow kind of look and Susan had the decency to look at least a little sheepish. "Don't blame me. I just chipped in. It was Kelli's idea. She thinks he's the most adorable thing in the world with that sweet little voice and that accent."

Laney looked down the hall to where Harry seemed quite content to just stare at the play set from above, nose pressed against the glass. She didn't really mind. It seemed like it'd make the move easier for Harry, and it definitely made him laugh and smile. And considering it had come from Susan and her friends in Disaster Relief, it was probably outfitted with every safety charm possible.

"I suppose I can forgive you all," Laney grumbled, smiling over at Susan all the while.

"Though, you know, most kids would be all over it by now…" Susan mused, mouth turning up in even more. "It's like he wants to memorize it before he goes anywhere near it."

Laney shrugged. "He's probably just waiting for me to head outside. He knows I will at some point. I've noticed he can be really patient if he's certain there's a reward ahead."

"Lucky you. My siblings still don't know the meaning of the word patience, and the youngest one is 26 now."

Laney snorted.

Susan shrugged. "Oh, hey, if you don't mind, I'd like to introduce you to someone who lives a bit nearby." Her voice dropped a little as he glanced in Harry's direction. "In the magical community located in Sedona, actually. I'd kind of like you to sort of know someone in the area, someone magical I mean, and I really think you'll like Kathy. She's a bit older than you. Well… probably almost twenty years older. But she's youthful and a lot of fun and you're not exactly out partying and wild. I think you'll get along."

Laney shrugged. "I can meet her. But I don't want a bunch of magical people around. You already know how I feel about magic going on around him."

"You'd rather him not know until he's showing it."

"I've noticed you've dropped the disapproval from your tone," Laney remarked casually.

"Yeah, well… I thought about it, your reasons. I do think Jamie needs to just have a chance to be a normal kid and learn how to be a normal kid before you start adding in the magical world. And you're right, there's really not much point to showing him when it's not like it'll be a part of his every day life yet."

"Exactly."

"So you'll meet her?"

"Yeah, sure."

"How about over lunch sometime this week? Maybe Wednesday?"

"Well, that's a bit soon. We'll see."

Harry looked back at them with a wide grin before pressing his nose against the glass again.

"I think he's adjusted to the move quite well," Susan said with satisfaction. "And the entire house has been completely layered top to bottom with defensive and protective and security magic. It'll fade a bit over time, but presumably around eight or nine, when he starts to show reliable spontaneous magic, it'll be about time to strengthen them again."

"Thanks," Laney murmured, still watching Harry.

"I guess… if you don't need anything right now I should be off. My shift starts soon."

"All right." Laney looked over at Susan with a smile and accepted her hug. "Don't be a stranger."

"Of course not. Now you best introduce Jamie to his playground before he gets stuck to the window."

Laney snorted. "Jamie?"

He turned around with bright eyes. "Godmum?"

She smiled warmly. "Susie's gotta leave now."

Harry gave Susan a little wave.

"Bye, Jamie." She gave a wave back as she started down the stairs to let herself out.

Laney grinned at Harry. "And how about you and me go check out that backyard?"

Harry gave a cry of delight and practically flew down the hall to hug her knees before dashing away to scramble down the stairs.

"Settle down a bit."

Harry stopped for a moment and then continued down with a little more composure, though not by much.

* * *

"How's Jamie settling in?"

Laney frowned a little as she set the tea on the table. She gave a little shrug. "He's fine at home. Most of the time."

"But?" Kathy prompted.

Laney shrugged again. "The preschool says he's rather shy and withdrawn and doesn't have much confidence around other kids. He tends to hover around the adults by himself rather than play with others."

"And what's going on here when he's not fine?"

Laney frowned a little more before sighing. "He's just a lot more clingy than he's been in a while, and some days I can't even frown at him without him getting upset. I'm not sure what's wrong or what to do about it. I can't help but worry."

"Hm." Laney watched and felt a faint tug of amused exasperation as Kathy let the sugar pour in a stream into her tea. "I keep telling you-"

"The tea's fine," Kathy interrupted.

"Except you're not actually drinking tea. You're drinking liquid sugar."

"Liquid sugar that tastes vaguely of tea. And that's perfectly fine. Moving on."

Laney grinned a little. "Would you like a biscuit?"

"Cookie, right?"

Laney felt a little more amusedly exasperated. "You ask that every time, and my answer is always yes."

"Just checking. I know the one day I don't ask, you'll bring out actual biscuits and it'll be weird and gross."

Laney rolled her eyes and got up to get the tin of biscuits.

Kathy shook her head, mouth twitching as she studied the tin. "You've got a four year old in the house. You can't tell me you don't have chocolate chip or Oreo or something. What's with the shortbread?"

"It's Jamie's favorite, in fact. And no, we don't have any of that other stuff. Because shortbread is his favorite."

"Weird kid."

"Most kids are." Laney settled again and put a couple of the small cookies on a plate.

Kathy took a sip of her tea and added a little more sugar. "Are these the same problems you mentioned he was having about a month ago? That ones you didn't elaborate on?"

"Yeah." Laney propped an elbow up on the table and rested her cheek on her fist. "It's just gotten worse."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Have you…?"

"Hm?"

"Considered taking him to see someone?"

"I don't know about that…" Laney murmured, tracing the rim of her cup with a finger.

"He's had it a bit rough," Kathy said after taking another sip of her tea and putting the sugar down. "It might not hurt."

"Yeah, but…"

"But?"

"What could I possibly say to explain him? And his past experiences? It's hardly telling the whole story to say his parents were murdered and then make something up."

"It's the magical aspect you're worried about?"

"There's also safety. I wouldn't want someone to give something away about him and then, you know, all this hard work, the moving, the name changing…"

"If you trust the USAS…"

Laney lifted her brows. "Yes?"

"We have people. We also work with people. Licensed in both, um, cultures."

Laney shifted uneasily. "I don't know…"

"It's a thought. It couldn't hurt."

Laney crumbled a bit of shortbread between her fingers. "I don't know."

"You could at least meet with someone yourself, talk to him or her. I recommend if you do decide to have Jamie see someone, you go with someone we have in our files. Much safer."

"Maybe." Laney took a sip of tea and stared out through glass pane on the back door into the backyard. There was a light, misting rain falling, giving the playground area a hazy, curious look. "Can you imagine if word got out?" she asked after several quiet minutes.

"It wouldn't. Anyone the USAS deals with is very discrete. I've actually got a person in mind. He'd be willing to come here, talk to Jamie in a comfortable, familiar setting, and he's already under magical contract not to speak of anything confidential."

"Hm." Laney looked back to Kathy with a faint sigh. "Right. I think you're right. I'll agree to meet with him. We'll see."

Kathy gave her an understanding smile.

* * *

"How're things going?"

Laney accepted the glass of water Kathy was offering, not looking away from the swings where Harry and his new friend Matthew from down the street were playing.

"He looks like he's getting on better with others," Kathy continued before Laney could answer.

"Yeah. Much better. Glad you talked me into having Jamie see Dr. Peele."

"I didn't do much. Just prodded a little bit."

"A little enough."

Kathy settled in the chair next to hers under the large, striped umbrella set up to block the sun. The kids didn't even seem to notice it. "Heard he's starting some sort of sport or something?"

"Not really sure I'd say that. Peele suggested I get him into some sort of out of school activity, and with how much that kid swings and rolls about like a monkey I've decided to see if he likes gymnastics."

"Good choice. I think he'll like it. How're his classes going now?"

"It's only preschool."

"And?"

"He's doing well." Laney took a sip of water. "It seems the more I praise his good work, the harder he tries to do more."

"Kids are like that."

"He really tries. I mean, he's really, really trying. Peele says Jamie wants to make sure he keeps my love and approval and this sort of thing will just take time."

"Ah."

"But Jamie's really settling in and feeling more chipper. Some days he's a bit off color, but he seems better all the same."

"He's a good kid."

"He's a great kid," Laney said with a fond smile.

"He's a great kid," Kathy agreed.

* * *

Laney shuffled Harry off the playground with only minor trouble and got him settled into the car to head home. He still seemed energetic enough, but a day in town and a long visit to the park around a bunch of other kids had Laney feeling in need of a good cup of a tea and perhaps a nap.

She listened with a fond smile as Harry babbled away about all of his new friends he'd met at the park, the games they'd played, how one of the boys had ten pets and maybe he could get a pet pretty please, he'd take really good care of it, and oh, he met a boy named Harry and it made him giggle, but he was good and didn't tell anyone that Jamie was only his middle name, and could they have waffles for dinner?

With amusement she shuffled him into the house, still babbling away, got him into the bath, into clean pajamas and wrapped in a warm sheet on her bed to watch cartoons while she took her own shower. She left the door open and heard him giggling almost the entire time.

"How're the Fraggles doing?" Laney asked as she came out of the bathroom in a long night shirt.

"I love Gobo. He's my favorite. And his friend."

"You do, huh? Why's that?"

"He does stuff."

Laney chuckled and disappeared into the closet to pull on some pajama pants. When she came out Harry was singing the ending theme song. She settled down to brush her hair beside him.

"But I love Boober's voice," Harry informed her seriously once the ending theme song stopped. He picked up the remote and turned the television off before turning to look at her. "It's my favorite."

"It's an interesting voice, yes," she agreed, giving Harry's hair a quick brush. It still stood up every which way afterward, but at least it did it without tangles.

"And John," Harry added.

"Convincing John?"

"Uh huh."

"Love him, too?"

"Uh huh."

Laney laughed. Harry gave her a quirk of a smile and Laney tweaked his nose. "That's my boy."

Harry stared at her, still with the quirk of a smile, but saying nothing.

"Yes?"

The quirk of a smile turned into an odd little frown. "Godmum?"

"Hm?"

Harry gave her an almost defiant, determined look but his voice came out a little uncertain. "Mum?"

"Baby?"

"Mum?"

Laney frowned a little but wasn't sure what to say.

"No one else calls their mum Godmum…"

"Well." Laney turned to face him with a more serious expression. "You know I'm not really your mum-"

"You are," Harry interrupted.

"No, baby, I'm not."

"You are." Harry gave her a stubborn look. "You are."

"Lily-"

"Mum, too. But you're Mum, too. Both of you."

Laney bit her lip for a moment. "I'm not really sure-"

"You're my mum."

"Baby-"

"You're my mum!"

Laney reached out to smooth his hair back and his determined, stubborn expression crumbled a little, leaving him looking uncertain and worried and maybe a little sad. "I want a mum," he whispered. "Why can't you be my mum?"

A little part of Laney squirmed inside at the thought of him calling her Mum, like she was trying to be Lily, but the rest of her squirmed even more at the thought of breaking his heart.

"You're right," she said softly. "I'm your Mum. You're a very special boy with two Mum's. Mum Lily and me."

"I love you, Mum."

"I love you too, baby." She gathered him up in her arms, holding him tight. "You're my baby and I love you."

* * *

"So, is it just my imagination…?" Laney trailed off.

"Hm?"

"It just seems that every time you strengthen the wards these days, they seem to weaken surprisingly quickly again, given how you've had to strengthen them three times in six months this year."

"They do," Kathy confirmed. "You're quite right."

"And maybe it's just me, but…"

"Hm?"

Laney sighed. "Jamie seems to perk up enormously and become this bubbling, burbling social butterfly right after you strengthen them, and then as they weaken he quiets down again?"

"No, yeah, I've noticed that too. Though I don't think the change is as severe as you make it out to be."

"Maybe not so severe," Laney agreed with a sigh. "But just weird."

"I think…"

"Yes?"

"I think he might be able to sense magic a little."

Laney looked over at Kathy, puzzled.

Kathy shrugged. "It's pretty rare, but not too rare among children. Children do seem more sensitive to things, magical or nonmagical in nature. The only thing I can figure…"

"Yes?"

"Well, he's gotten more comfortable with himself now, so he's a lot more carefree and that does tend to help loosen up extra sensory abilities. I think he can probably sense magic a little. And like I said, rare, but not too rare among children. Most children that do have the ability to sense magic, they have a peak and then they lose it around puberty. It's very, very, extremely rare among adults to sense passive magic. Even in the magical world adults tend to close their thoughts off to things that don't follow the logic they've learned."

"Oh."

"This isn't a problem, Lane," Kathy reassured. "And he's a bright, thoughtful, sensitive little boy, so I can't even be too surprised. There's no harm in this and it won't mean that we'll have to thrust the magical world on him yet. This is purely passive."

"So why do the wards keep weakening?"

"That I'm not so sure about. This week, while Jamie's in school, I'm going to get a couple of people I trust and strip the wards down and see if I can figure out what's going on. If you don't mind, of course."

"I'll think about it."

Both of them knew that that meant Laney would agree, but they let it go.

* * *

"There's a kind of hole in the wards that we can't entirely patch up…" Kathy trailed off, looking puzzled.

"And just what does that mean?"

"It's… hard to explain. I don't know. It's almost like the wards are linked to a second set of wards and some of the power here is being channeled off to them. Do you have any idea…?"

"No clue."

"It's not exactly a weakness." Kathy put her chin in her hands. "I really don't know. It's like it was created from the inside of the ward structure here and is linked to the inside of a ward structure somewhere else. There's no actual outside weaknesses, basically, just this drain… Are you sure you don't recall anything about wards? Maybe his parents set something up at their house and the ward is still partially intact? Parents sometimes do that as a way to sort of monitor children."

Laney shook her head. "No."

"Nothing?"

"Sorry, no, noth…ing…"

Kathy raised her brows. "Yes?"

"Well." Laney twisted a lock of hair around a finger as she thought back. "Well."

"Well?"

"Now that you mention it… I do recall Dumbledore saying something about Jamie's relatives' house having been set up with some sort of wards based on blood, on account of them being related by blood. He said that's why it'd be foolish for me to take Jamie away…"

"It wasn't foolish for you to take Jamie out of that environment," Kathy said firmly.

"Oh, I know that. Just- you think those are the wards?"

"Would make sense. Based on blood, you said?"

"What Dumbledore said. Based on his mother's blood connecting him to his family. And his mother's love, though that was really vague."

"Blood and love? Definitely blood and love?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I don't know if the love was a part of it or just that his mother loved him or that his family," Laney scowled, "would come to love him."

"Bull-"

"Kathy," Laney interrupted sternly.

"Doodoo."

Laney rolled her eyes. "Is the blood and love important?"

"Very powerful combination," Kathy said thoughtfully. "Very powerful. And that sort of combination could cause a split, especially… yes, very important, very possible."

"Especially what?"

"Using blood and a strong emotion creates some of the strongest wards. Blood and love or blood and hate tend to be the two big combinations, followed by blood and true, honest grief and blood and true, honest joy. It's complicated. But if you have a ward based on blood that's also tied into love, but the… Hm. How was long was he there before you took him away?"

"I'm not sure. Not even two years, though."

"You think Dumbledore might have been aware that these relatives wouldn't feel too kindly to Jamie at first?"

"I sure hope so," Laney said with some steel in her voice.

Kathy gave her a little smile. "Right. So three is a good, strong, magical number. Some say it's the perfect magical number. If emotion was meant to play a role in the strength and durability of the wards, leaving the wards impressionable for three years would be a good, solid timeframe. Give the relatives time to actually come to love Jamie and let that form a backbone of steel on the wards. But there's also the blood thing…"

"Explain this so I have some idea what you're talking about, please."

"Sorry. Um… you set up the wards in two parts, by blood and by love. The blood is a given, them being relatives. The love part of the wards you set up, but instead of closing them, you leave them open, strong but also in a state where they can soak up the power of any love directed at the focus of the wards, in this case Jamie. The love ward you wouldn't be tied to the blood wards, either, because there's someone in the house not connected directly by blood. Following so far?"

"More or less, yeah."

"Now, do you think it's pretty likely this Dumbledore guy wouldn't have taken the wards down? Perhaps in the hopes that you'd see sense and take Jamie back? Or something else equally delusional?"

"I don't know. But… I guess if they're already there and aren't going to harm anyone and they aren't costing him anything, he'd probably leave them up."

"We'll say for arguments sake that the wards are still there. And since they're focused on Jamie, there'd still be a small tendril of the wards tied into him. Now, just based on blood alone, the blood wards won't change as long as the family lives there. But without Jamie being there, the wards would eventually weaken and dissolve. But if you add in the love wards and the fact the love wards were left open, and still remain open, and that Jamie's still tied into the wards by that tendril, what you have is a set of fulfilled requirements."

Laney gave Kathy a look.

"Right, sorry. You removed Jamie before the wards completely closed so he's still the focus of them. The family feeds the blood part of the wards. And because of the tendril still connecting him to those wards, you're feeding the love part of the wards.

"Basically, as long as his family is there and as long as Jamie is loved completely and without reservation by someone in his life, it seems reasonable to conclude that there will always be a connection between any wards we base off of Jamie and those still with the relatives." Kathy shrugged a little. "I suppose that's not a bad thing, really. If it's keeping his relatives safe, at least no one can try and use them against him."

"A good thing?"

"Not a bad thing, at the least."

"What do we do? I mean, what all- just how do we handle it?"

"Just let it go. Now that I know we're dealing with a double ward situation, I can just tweak our wards so they don't lose power like they have been. And it might come in handy to have another place with strong wards-"

"He's not going back there," Laney told her sharply.

"Because if our wards here are hit for some reason, they'll probably be able to draw strength from the full strength wards over there," Kathy finished with an eye roll.

"Oh."

"He's like a nephew, Lane. I don't want him to go back there any more than you do."

Laney gave Kathy a weak smile. "Does that make us sisters?"

"Against all laws of logic I think we're more like cousins."

"Well, his life will certainly never be dull."

* * *

"He'll be fine," Kathy murmured as Laney fretted over her equipment. "He goes to kindergarten, he goes to gymnastics, he went to preschool and you didn't need to be there to hold his hand the entire time. He'll be fine. He knows me, he likes me. We'll just hang out and watch movies and play with Legos."

"I just feel like I shouldn't be running off on him like this."

"Lane, if you take that attitude he'll feel like you're running off on him, and then you really won't be able to go. Treat it normally and he'll just eagerly await your return, no freaking out, no feeling like you're abandoning him."

"I've just never had to have a babysitter before."

Kathy nudged Laney out of the way and finished packing the camera equipment. "He'll be fine. You're going to upset him if you keep this up."

"I know."

"Then calm down."

"Maybe I shouldn't go."

"You're going."

"I can take these pictures another day."

"Laney, you're going."

"He's going to-"

"Mum?"

They both turned to find Harry standing in the doorway, holding a pad of construction paper almost too big for him to carry around. "Yes, baby?"

"Will you get me more juice?"

Laney shook her head in surprise. "Juice?"

"Apple?"

"Yeah. I can get you more apple juice."

"Thanks. Love you."

"I love you, too, baby."

"Kay?"

Kathy smiled. "Yeah, Jame?"

He jiggled the pad of paper. "Draw horses?"

"Be out in a minute, sweetie."

Harry nodded and turned carefully, resting his chin on the pad to keep it from wobbling out of his arms.

"Looks like you're going," Kathy remarked once they heard the pad smack down on the carpet in the living room.

"Don't sound so smug about it," Laney muttered, turning to zip up her camera bag.

* * *

Kathy glanced into Harry's bedroom. She didn't notice Harry at first, wrapped up in a pile of blankets on his sloppy bed, and with action figures, games and toys practically overflowing from the room. But then she spotted a little tuft of black from the top of his He-Man blanket.

"Jame?"

The blanket didn't even twitch. Kathy began to wonder if maybe it was just one of his many stuffed animals buried beneath the blanket when there finally came a heavy sigh and slowly the blanket turned over. Harry peered out from the top of his self-made cocoon.

"Jamie?" Kathy came into the room, concerned at the somber expression.

"Hm?"

"Something wrong?"

"Mm mn."

"I think there is."

The cocoon gave a shrug.

She settled at the edge of the bed and reached out to smooth the messy black hair back. "What's up?"

"…Mummy's upset," he mumbled to into the blanket. "Mummy keeps crying."

Kathy bit her lip. She couldn't deny it. She sighed and smoothed the black hair down again. "Yes, Mummy's upset," she agreed. "It's not your fault, though."

"I know."

"There're just a lot of really sad things going on right now."

"I know."

"Has she talked to you about any of it?"

"Kind of."

"She'll feel better soon."

He made a half hearted noise.

"She will."

"…I can't make it better."

"Oh, sweetie." Kathy pulled the cocoon onto her lap as best she could, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "This is just one of those things that has to get better on its own."

"She always makes it all better for me," Harry whispered. "I can't make it all better."

"Sometimes that's just the way it works," Kathy murmured, rocking him.

Harry sniffled. "I don't want mummy to be upset…"

"Shh, it's okay."

"But I can't make it all better…"

"I know, sweetie." She kissed his forehead again. "I know."


	3. Chapter 3

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. I'll put them back almost like new.

Warnings & Story Info: Some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (Ygroup), OCs. Rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. Harry is: very intelligent, still a kid, powerful with limits, confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. Dumbledore dislike story, not a bash story. Will include info from all seven books.

Prequel is of a work not written yet. It focuses solely on Harry in America with no scenes or in-depth info about anyone in Britain. Harry is learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world in America. Harry will go to Hogwarts fourth year, not as a Gryffindor; he attends an elite American school until then. He moves to Britain once Sirius is freed.

AN1: Laney was upset last chapter because of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion. She usually would not have reacted so emotionally, but she's still stressed from the end of the war, her fight for Harry, the move, etc.

BETAS: Thanks go out to my new beta readers Maggie, known on ffnet as "there is only you", and to jynx67. Megan, too! Any problems remaining are entirely mine.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 03

* * *

Harry could feel himself slipping off the side of the platform. He scrambled uselessly to grip, hold, stop his fall. His fingers plucked at the plastic as his knees went out from under him completely. All he felt was air as the floor loomed in front of him, impossibly close and yet miles away. With a cry, Harry closed his eyes and braced himself to hit the floor – and then he bounced. Once, twice, a third time that sent him tumbling gently before he stopped, safely sprawled out and surrounded by big, squishy mats. He sat up slowly, wide eyed, and looked around.

The mats he'd landed on were more like great big pillows than the sturdy blue squares he was used to. He glanced around, laughing, looking for his teacher, wondering where she'd gotten them from and how she'd put them under him so quickly to break his fall. But there was no one nearby and everyone was staring at him. They didn't seem to find it half as funny as he did.

"Um…"

One of the teachers gave a sort of horrified shriek that made him jump and scramble away and then… the room froze around him, like in one of those movies where time stopped and everyone was left balancing on a leg and gaping in mid-word. Before Harry could even stop scrambling, there were several strange little popping noises as people appeared out of the air. Harry stopped and stared, shocked.

They looked kind of like police in uniforms wearing belts with odd looking things hanging off them and serious expressions that said, 'mister, you're in trouble.' Harry just wanted to hide under a mat so they wouldn't see him and take him away for doing something bad, but then one of the men spotted him. Harry froze and scrambled to hide behind one of the squishy mats, peering over the edge. The man smiled and laughed. Harry sat up uncertainly, clutching the edge of the mat.

"There's our beep," the man said, glancing back at the others and then back to Harry. They turned to stare at him and the woman nearest to him, hair up in a tight bun that seemed to make her eyes look weird, gave him a very surprised look.

"You can't be serious. He can't be older than six."

"He's the one still moving." The man shrugged and put away a weird looking stick Harry hadn't noticed before. He noticed now that it slipped right into an odd looking thing hanging off the man's belt, sort of like the thing in which policemen on television kept their guns.

"Hello there," the man said, coming a few steps closer and then crouching down. "What's your name, young man?"

Harry stared at him anxiously.

"Young man?"

"Who are you?" Harry breathed. "Why's everyone all still? Where'd you come from?"

"This is definitely the kid," the man said, standing up again and coming a little closer.

Harry suddenly remembered something Kathy had told him once. She said that if anyone ever acted strange or did weird things around him and seemed to pay too much attention to him then he should scream for help as loud as he could. And so he did.

"Help!" He burrowed under the mat, holding onto it desperately. If he screamed loud enough the others would be sure to wake up. "Help! Help!"

"Shit." There was a sudden flurry of conversation and then the man's voice came from nearer to him. "Hey kid, come on, we won't-"

"Help!" Harry screamed louder. "HELP!"

Suddenly, Harry couldn't hear himself scream any more, even though his mouth was opening and he was sure he was saying the words. He sat up in shock and met the wide blue eyes of the man who'd been trying to talk to him before.

"You're not in trouble, kid," he said soothingly. "You're not. You just had a moment, and it's perfectly normal. Here, watch." He pulled his stick again, gave it a wave and suddenly all of the mats piled up around Harry began to stack themselves. Harry was so shocked and fascinated he forgot to scream.

"Huh." The man studied the mats and then stabbed the stick in their direction. They deflated and went back to looking like normal mats. A flick of the stick sent the mats lining up in a neat row again. "There we go." He looked at Harry. "Magic!"

Harry glanced between the mats and the man several times, even more confused.

The man held out a hand. "Let's go in the other room to talk, hm?"

Harry shook his head.

"Worst of it's over, young man. You're not in trouble. And I'm sure you have lots of questions."

"I don't know you."

"Aaron," one of the females said, glancing over. "We only have a minute and a half slowed time to work with here. Hurry it up."

The man looked around and muttered something at her. Harry thought he caught the phrases 'slight accent', 'across the pond', 'obviously fled', 'can't force it.' The man looked back at him. "Know anything about magic, young man?"

Harry shook his head.

"Then I'll tell you a little bit about it, but people who don't know about magic aren't supposed to, so that's why we have to talk about it in the next room. And while we're in there, my friends here will just convince everyone else they didn't really see magic."

"People who don't have magic can't know about it?"

"That's right."

"Then I don't want to know," Harry told him with a stubborn expression. "Mom doesn't have magic. She would have told me. So I don't want it."

"Aaron," the woman hissed.

"Brittany," the man hissed back, "I'm working here."

Harry plopped down even more stubbornly on the mat as the man turned back. He sighed when he saw Harry.

"Please, kid, we're going to get in trouble if we don't get this taken care of quickly. We're like cops. We help people."

Harry crossed his arms. "Gotta badge?"

"A… yes!" He reached into a pocket and pulled out a little wallet thing, flipping it open to reveal a little round shiny badge. Harry made a motion for it and the man tossed it down.

Harry picked it up to examine it. "What are these words?" He pointed at the large words on the front.

"MOF Investigation Agent Blackwell."

Harry gave him an expectant look.

"Um. MOF is Magical Outburst and Flux and I'm Aaron Blackwell."

Harry gave the badge another long, close look and then he stood up, holding it tight. "Fine. But I'm watching you."

"Just as long as you're watching me in the other room," the man muttered, trailing a distance behind Harry out of the room. "And so here we are," the man said as the door closed behind them.

Harry settled on a padded bench with a little bit of climbing and waited expectantly, still holding the badge tightly.

"So." The man sat down as well, rubbing his hands together. "Let me tell you a little bit about magic…"

Halfway through the basics – yes, magic existed, really really, and yes, he really could do magic, really really, and no, not everyone could, and those sticks were magic wands, really really, and here, go ahead and try one out, though don't expect much- oh good for you, yes, most definitely, definitely able to get a wand some day, really really – Laney returned from the light shopping she sometimes did to help pass the time he was in lessons.

When she came in, she looked briefly upset and frightened. Harry stopped giggling immediately to slide off the bench and hurry to her side. She didn't calm until she had him in her arms.

"It's okay, Mom, they're like cops."

"Are they now?" Laney asked, eyeing the 'like cops' tensely.

"They're mofs!"

Aaron gave a little cough, standing up. "MOF, actually. A division of the USMA-FLE."

"I see," Laney said neutrally. "Explain."

"You might want to sit."

"I'm fine standing."

"It's, um, a bit of a shock for some people, but…" Aaron sat back down. "There's a whole other world that most people don't know about-"

"That's right, Mom," Harry interrupted, nodding wisely. "Full of very special people. Like me."

Laney kissed his forehead. "You are very, very special," she agreed. "Very special."

"But I'm even specialer than that. I can do magic!"

"That is very, very special."

Harry bit his lip. "Are you upset, Mommy?"

"No, baby, I'm not. I'm very happy and delighted, and I'm sure you'll do wonderful magic," she said warmly, ignoring man and the woman sitting to the other side who so far had kept her quiet.

Harry grinned. "I will."

Laney kissed his forehead again. "Why don't you go finish your lesson, baby, and I'll talk with these people."

"It's really, really, really real, Mom," Harry told her seriously.

"I know, baby."

"Okay."

Laney gave him another kiss and knelt to put him down. "Go on, go wear yourself out so Mom can sleep in tomorrow."

Harry giggled and gave her that 'yeah, right, whatever' look. He waved to the other two in the room and scampered off to go rejoin his lesson. Laney looked after him for several moments, marveling what it must be like to be that young and so easily accepting.

"Ma'am?"

Laney looked back to the man, the MOFL whatever, and she gave him a penetrating look before standing, arms crossed expectantly.

"It always helps when parents don't dismiss children out of hand right off, even if they're just playing along. But magic really is real and-"

"I know."

"Oh."

"I'm a squib."

"You've lost most of your accent, but you're definitely from Europe. We don't use squib over here now. The term we use is low-magical or trace-magical."

"A duck's still a duck."

"Fair enough." He sat down slowly. "So, he's still a bit young to consider teaching, though even this young his magic is still extraordinary and he could be taught if you wanted to start him early-"

"No."

The man eyed her closely. "You will let him pursue the study of magic one day, though, right?"

"Don't be stupid."

"I'm not sure what that means."

Laney huffed in exasperation. "I'm hardly going to tell him he can't be something he just is."

"Good. Because some people do, and you sort of have that vibe."

Laney gave him a narrow-eyed look. "_That vibe_?"

"You come across strongly as having something against magic."

"You can stop worrying. Not that it's any of your business, but I'm quite happy for Jamie. That doesn't mean I'm going to throw him head over heels into magic at the first opportunity."

"Fair enough. You'll probably take offense, but I'm relieved to hear you say that. That boy…"

"What about him?"

"He has more natural ability than I've ever seen in someone just experiencing their first magical burst. In fact, before you came in, he was actually doing controlled, conscious magic. Very low level stuff, granted, but still." He shook his head in wonder. "And he's just shy of six? Truly unbelievable."

"Where are the other parents that are usually waiting in here?" Laney asked.

"Oh. They've all decided to go out for coffee."

"Have they now," Laney said flatly.

"Quite. What? You'd rather us not deal with his magical outburst and then explain it to him? He was quite upset by it."

Laney just glanced at her watch. "His lesson is ending soon and there are some children in there who will expect their parents to be waiting for them."

"Right. Well, we have a few procedures we take in cases like this. There are some wards to be set up around-"

"I have a friend who can do it."

The man and woman exchanged a glance.

"I do," Laney said with a sigh. "Or she'll have friends that can do it. She's a part of magical law enforcement, I'm sure she knows what needs to be done."

"Ah. That's wonderful. So you really don't need us to give you the full spiel."

"No, and," she sighed, "listen, not that I'm not grateful for everything and all, it's just rather sudden. I wasn't expecting him to have an outburst for a few more years yet."

"Completely understandable."

The woman checked her watch. "Gotta go, Aaron."

They said their goodbyes and left by the door. Laney settled down to wait for Harry to come out as parents began to trickle in from their unexpected coffee trip, seeming not at all bothered.

Now that Laney was alone she let herself feel the worry she'd held in check, knowing that magic would have to change things in some way and that they would have to be quite careful in general, above and beyond the usual. But she also let herself feel pride in her magical little boy and delight in his having discovered the world of magic at last.

* * *

"I can't be reading this right," Laney muttered, staring at the paper in front of her.

"Why?" Kathy pulled out the pitcher of tea to pour a couple of glasses.

"These numbers can't be right."

"Again, why? And did you know there's a stuffed animal in the freezer that's frozen solid?" She tossed a blue dinosaur on the counter next to Laney and it made a thud.

Laney stared at it. "I have no idea…"

"Hm. Toss it back. Jame probably has some sort of plan for it and the entire universe will explode if we thaw the triceratops out." Kathy caught it and stuffed it back into the freezer behind the corn where she'd spotted it.

"Here, take a look." Laney pushed the paper across the counter as Kathy pulled up a stool on the other side.

"Let's see… oh."

"Yeah."

"You're right. I mean, you're wrong, but I can see where you're right. The numbers have to be right, but they sure don't look it."

"I'm surprised they're not requesting a retest, with scores like that."

"Not the way I set it up. Went straight through the USAS. We occasionally do have secure testing done, and it's usually secure because the results will be odd, so the test facility wouldn't have looked twice at this."

"What's the MP thing on there?"

"Mid-power. We had him tested at the standard start of traditional schooling scale, so the results are based on averages for children eleven to thirteen. So he tested at MP level if he belonged to that group, which is average. But he doesn't belong to that group, and that's why this chart is here." Kathy tapped the main graphic to the side of the paper. "This is the age we factored in. We start basic magical schooling at eight, so that's where we placed him as the true indicator of potential. I say true ironically-"

"Kathy," Laney interrupted. "No. I don't need a lesson on this. No mumbo jumbo. Just tell me what it all means."

"Well, let's see… Above 90 in everything, if he was eight, and he's not, so… He's pretty much off the charts." She put the paper down on the counter. "But this was more of a generalized assessment. There's no real breakdown between sheer magical force potential, learned skill, intuitive understanding, breadth of knowledge. So he could have a lot of intuitive understanding of magic with a decent amount of potential and be low in other areas and still score really high."

"So? They sent a list of tutors. Are they saying I need to get him trained in magic or something?"

Kathy ran a finger along the rim of her glass. "Wouldn't hurt. He's got the hunger for magic and he's young enough that he'll pick things up quick."

"So I should get a tutor?"

"That's entirely up to you, of course."

Laney sighed. "No, not really. Not entirely. He should have a vote as well."

Kathy smiled into her glass. "Shall I start checking tutor backgrounds, then?"

Laney threw a wadded up napkin at her.

* * *

"No. I will not have- just no."

"You didn't even think about it," Kathy complained.

"I did. I have. I don't have to think about it now because I've thought about it before, and no. Absolutely not." Laney cursed under her breath as the sauce she was stirring slopped over the side and she reached irritably for a handful of paper towels.

Kathy impassively watched Laney try and sop up the mess for half a dozen seconds before waving her hand in exasperation. The red sauce disappeared from the counter, and so did the paper towels. She ignored the dark look Laney threw at her.

"I went through that list of tutors and I just don't think they're a good idea," Kathy said again, even more patiently. "They're all fine, but there's a security risk-"

"Then you can teach him. But no Aurors!"

"I'm an Auror."

"No strange Aurors!"

"I'm a-"

"Don't even go there," Laney snapped, grabbing another handful of paper towels to wipe the edge of the saucepan very carefully on principle. She threw the crumpled towels in the garbage.

"It'll be more secure."

"No it won't." Laney put the stirring spoon down with care and moved over to the sink to try and wash out the splotch of red on her light blue shirt.

"I could-"

"Don't."

"Fine." Kathy leaned back against the counter. "And it would."

"No, it wouldn't. Aurors are still people, and people still talk and boast and whatever."

"We're more discrete than that," Kathy said with a frown.

"We were once talking about something else and you yourself said the only way to ensure secrecy on something was to make that something an assignment." Laney grumbled at her shirt. "Because if it's an assignment, magic picks up something or other and does whatever it is that the assignment contract whatever says will happen."

"Fine. Yes. True. Then we could just-"

"No!" Laney twisted away from the sink, a wet washcloth in one hand and the red splotch surrounded by a big damp area on the shirt. "I will not have that little boy made into an _assignment_!"

Kathy waved her hand again and the red splotch disappeared, though the damp area remained. Laney made a noise of frustration and tossed the washcloth into the sink hard enough to make a fork jump and clatter.

"It would be secure."

"Jamie will not be an _assignment_."

"An assignment contract would make it _secure_."

"You don't understand-"

"I do understand," Kathy interrupted. "You're just finding excuses to be able to say no."

Laney went back over to her sauce, stirring it irritably. "I'm not," she told the bubbling red liquid as she pushed a mushroom back down. "Listen. Don't make it an assignment and it's not safe. Anyone could say anything. You do make it an assignment, then its _official_." Laney sneered at the word. "And if it's official, people are getting paid. If people are getting paid then someone has some say somewhere and the word of a squib won't _matter_." Laney flung out an arm in an irritable, wide gesture, and it wasn't until she'd flecked half the kitchen with red sauce that she realized she was still holding the spoon. "Bugger."

"You won't lose your say over Jamie," Kathy said quietly, pulling out her wand to give the kitchen a quick cleaning. "And the assignment wouldn't be over Jamie. It would just be assignment level security. But if you have Aurors come in, we'll be able to keep an eye on him now that his magic is developing, make sure no one else notices and decides to do something about it that they shouldn't. And…"

"What?"

"Make sure no other authorities somewhere else think it'd be in his best interest to return to a place said authorities think he belongs," Kathy finished even more quietly.

Laney gave her a sharp look that softened at seeing the real worry furrowing Kathy's brow. "That really worries you?"

"For a lot of people, that little boy is just a symbol. People like to claim symbols."

"I don't want him to just be a symbol to your people, either," Laney said tiredly. "Don't you see? You'd bring your people in to work with Harry Potter, but he's not. He's Jamie. Jamie Featheridge."

"Then I'd damn well make sure they got to know Jamie Featheridge before they even thought about helping teach Harry Potter."

"What are you saying?"

"Bring them in socially, get to know them, let them get to know Jamie. I could get that under assignment contract without specifying anything about the assignment."

"I don't think that'd fly."

"It could."

"I really don't think it will."

"No harm in trying, then, right?"

Laney sighed again. "Fine." She narrowed her eyes and held the spoon up menacingly. "And if they even think a thought out of line, I'll show them why my stick is better than theirs."

Kathy stared at her for a handful of moments before giving a solemn nod and then promptly cracking up. Laney kept impassive a few seconds longer before the absurdity of her brandishing about a sauce covered spoon as a weapon really caught up with her and she dissolved into laughter as well.

They eventually calmed and Laney turned back to stirring.

"I can see it now," Kathy said, voice far too calm. "Hazard pay because of imminent threat of spoon."

Laney glanced back at Kathy and they both burst out laughing again.

* * *

"I think you're more nervous than the kid," Kathy muttered out of the side of her mouth as Laney smoothed a hand down her jeans again.

"Jamie's Jamie," Laney muttered back. "We said he'd be meeting new friends like you. He's got no reason to be nervous. I, on the other hand…" She trailed off.

Kathy didn't need her to finish. "It'll be fine. I know all three of them to some degree. They're good people."

Laney just gave her a tight smile and shifted to glance into the kitchen where Harry was sprawled out on the floor on a sheet making a happy mess with more Play-Doh than could possibly be healthy for a kid to have.

"You spoil him."

"I learned it from his mother," Kathy said dryly.

Laney said nothing.

"Lane, it'll be fine. Terry's a seventh generation Auror. Seven generations. He had family there right at the start of it being an official organization. He's young, but very well trained and very discrete. He understands. Cameron's been an active agent for four years, and she's young and fun and hip and knows how to relate to kids."

"Young and fun and hip to a five year old is knowing how to belch the ABCs," Laney said dryly.

"Hey, never know with Cam."

"And Sunny?"

"And Sunny…"

"The way you never know what to say about this Sunny guy bothers me."

"It's because he just defies explanation."

"You've said that before. It still bothers me."

"Sunny's just Sunny. He's an old-timer. He's been in the game for ages and he's still out there facing down people half his age with half the effort of some of the 'young pups', as he calls them."

"So what's someone that great doing on what amounts to not even a babysitting job?" Laney asked suspiciously.

"We call it downtime." Kathy shrugged. "The big ones, the legends, they never really take a break. They just take easy assignments for a while to breathe a bit."

"So this Sunny guy is here to breathe?"

"Sort of." Kathy shrugged. "It's Auror culture."

"You said he's in his fifties?"

"Fifty-four."

Laney's response was lost to the ringing doorbell.

"I'll get it."

Laney continued to study Harry. He seemed completely oblivious to the doorbell in his play. Laney was quite sure that Harry was very well aware of the doorbell and what it meant, but at the same time he was lost in that special world of make-believe that Laney sometimes envied him his ability to get lost.

A low voiced greeting from the door caught Laney's attention, but she didn't turn around. From the voice alone – pleasant, dignified and just a little on the deep side – Laney felt a little more reassured. In her mind's eye, she pictured a well groomed man, in good shape, but no longer young, graying hair and warm eyes.

"Laney, this is Sunny Gillen," Kathy said as she came up with the other.

Laney turned and couldn't help but stare in surprise, and really, it was her own damn fault for taking pictures in her head of people she knew next to nothing about. He certainly wasn't what she expected: shaggy brown almost caramel colored hair, striking brown fading into orange eyes, bright and sharp and reserved.

"Laney?" Kathy muttered.

"I- yes, sorry, yes. Hello." Belatedly, Laney thought to hold out a hand, and the man pulled his hand from his jean pocket to give hers a perfectly ordinary, if perfunctory, shake.

"Hello."

"So," Kathy said after Sunny had dropped his hand and stuffed it back into his jeans again, "I expect you'll want to-" The doorbell rang, quieting her for a moment. "Hold that thought."

Laney watched Kathy answer the door this time.

"Ah, Cameron, I wasn't sure you'd make it on time."

"You know how it goes."

Laney didn't even bother not staring when the woman walked in. The voice had been quiet, definitely feminine, but unassuming and soft; the kind of voice you could appreciate, but put on a back shelf without any bother. The woman looked like she'd just stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine, from perfectly teased gold blonde hair to the stunning blue formal dress that matched her eyes perfectly.

"You look lovely."

"I look like a silly doll," Cameron said with a dismissive wave of a perfectly manicured hand. "Oh, hello there," she said when she noticed Laney. "Lovely to meet you, but I'm going to pop into Kathy's bedroom and make myself presentable, if you don't mind."

Laney could only shrug.

Cameron gave a little wave and headed into the mentioned bedroom.

"How old did you say she was?" Laney asked, feeling a little self conscious.

"Just thirty-four, I believe." Kathy noticed her expression. "Yeah, too stunning to be real. I know."

Too stunning to be real was an understatement. Laney was five years younger and had always felt she was more than averagely attractive, yet now she was feeling like a little brown wren.

Suddenly, Laney realized that Sunny wasn't standing beside her anymore. He was standing just outside the kitchen watching Harry play. Harry seemed oblivious to his presence, but Laney knew he wasn't. He was almost unnaturally aware of his surroundings at times, but he had funny little ways. He'd ignore the world until the world made an effort to get his attention, like he was in another place entirely.

Sunny looked back at her. "Can I go introduce myself?"

"That is why you're here," Laney said a little more tartly than she'd meant.

He didn't seem to take offense though. He just smiled a knowing little smile. "I rather expect it'd have rubbed you the wrong way if I'd just walked in without asking, you see."

Laney was saved from commenting by Kathy's appearance at her side. The moment of distraction saw Sunny heading casually into the kitchen.

"Why did I agree to have all three come by at once?" Laney muttered to Kathy.

"You said you wanted to get the nonsense out of the way, if I recall correctly."

"Next time I say something like that, smack me."

"Sure. Glad to."

"Except, not really."

"Finicky, aren't you?"

But Laney didn't say anything. She was too busy watching Sunny lower himself into a sitting position beside Harry. Harry continued to play as if he weren't there and only took notice of the man when he leaned in towards Harry.

"Hello there, little one."

Harry looked up at him and promptly sneezed right in his face. Sunny froze and Harry stared wide-eyed at him before bursting out into giggles. Laney's day suddenly seemed much brighter, and not even the reappearance of little Miss supermodel dimmed her amusement.

"Sorry," Harry giggled, offering a handful of the sheet they were settled on.

"On the whole, I think not," Sunny said, eyeing the Play-Doh stained sheet. Instead he pulled out a handkerchief from his jean pocket and wiped his face with it.

"I think I just missed something amusing," Cameron said from beside her. Laney only spared a glance for the freshly scrubbed, pony-tailed, form fitting jeans and baggy shirt wearing woman who still looked perfect.

"Jame apparently takes exception to being called little one," Kathy said with amusement. "And shows it by sneezing in people's faces."

"Then yes, I did miss something amusing."

"Alas," Sunny said without looking away from Harry, "it is a performance you'll not see repeated if I can help it."

"More's the pity."

Harry offered Sunny a handful of well mashed green Play-Doh. "We're gonna make a zoo. The el'phant is yours."

Sunny accepted the handful of green. "With green?"

Harry didn't look away from rolling blue snakes. "Uh huh."

"I wasn't aware elephants were green."

Harry looked up then with a rather serious expression. "Do they know that?"

"Pardon?"

"Do they know that?" Harry repeated patiently.

"I- have no idea. I expect they don't spend much time thinking about what color they are, really."

"So why should I?"

"Huh." Sunny shrugged. "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings." He began to separate the Play-Doh. "I don't think I'm going to be very good at making elephants, though."

Harry handed him a little plastic rolling pin with every indication that he somehow thought it would help.

"Oh, yes, thank you." Sunny accepted it with an amused smile and set about making a rather bad elephant. "I think I may need more Play-Doh, though. Elephants are rather large, and I expect that is something they know."

Harry pushed over the lump of green sitting on a small paper plate.

"Excellent."

Laney looked over at Miss America still standing at her side and raised her brows. "You're here to meet him, not stare at him."

Cameron gave her a dazzling smile. "Quite right." She took herself into the kitchen and settled down at Harry's other side. "Hi."

Harry looked over at her. "Hi." He pushed over the plate of yellow Play-Doh. "Birds?"

"I might be able to manage that."

Laney watched them briefly before glancing over at Kathy. "Didn't you say someone else was coming?"

"He'll be here shortly," Cameron said without looking up from her rather pathetic looking attempt at a bird. "He's there on bodyguard duty; I was just trying to get some information out of someone."

"Bodyguard duty?"

Kathy glanced over in surprise. "I didn't mention it? He's a bodyguard. The USAS contains the magical branch of what amounts to the secret service."

Laney tried not to gape. "So he's guarding the magical president?"

"Oh no." Kathy laughed and Laney felt a bit silly but oddly a bit relieved. "He's guarding the president's son, actually."

Laney found herself gaping. "You're kidding."

"No."

"But…"

"But?"

"What's he doing coming here if he's doing _that_?"

Harry looked up. "Mommy?"

"It's all right, baby. Go back to your pink monkeys."

Kathy leaned in to murmur, "How can you tell they're monkeys?"

"Basic human shape." She gave the other an impatient look. "Kathy?"

"What? Oh that, yes. I don't know. He was asked, he agreed. I expect it's because he knows people treat so-called important people differently, and he is around the magical first family, so he knows that so-called important people are just people in the end."

"Oh."

"He's a great choice, if you think about it."

"Yeah." Laney smiled a bit. "Yeah, he is."

As if on cue – and really, with the magical world, Laney wasn't willing to rule anything out – the doorbell rang.

"And there's our late arrival now," Kathy said cheerily as she headed to answer the door. Laney watched the doorway rather than the kitchen.

"Glad to see you got away by a decent time," Kathy greeted, hugging whoever was just outside it.

"I was only there for the afternoon event," an average voice answered, and on the heels of the voice the man came into the room. "The evening event is more private, and they don't need me there for that. Andrew's more than capable of handling anything that could come up."

"Great. Terry, this is Laney. Laney, Terry."

Terry gave her an averagely nice smile and offered an average handshake. Laney was feeling rather relieved not to be shocked by an exceptional or unexpected appearance. The man was actually altogether pretty average with a slim athletic build, brown hair, brown eyes, in jeans and a simple T-shirt.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Laney, please," she insisted.

"Sure thing."

"And Jamie's in the kitchen, playing, if you'd like…"

"What I'm here for." He strolled confidentially into the kitchen. "Oh, this looks fun. Can I play, too?"

"Can you make 'raffes? With the big, long necks?"

"Giraffes? I'm certainly up to give it a try. Can I use the purple?"

"Uh huh."

Laney peered into the kitchen, just to check on them, and found them all working hard at making very badly shaped, very strangely colored zoo animals. She didn't want to disturb them, so she went to sit with Kathy on the couch.

Kathy raised her brows questioningly. Laney shrugged and then gave a nod. Yeah, she was feeling pretty confident that she'd made the right decision.


	4. Chapter 4

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. I'll put them back almost like new.

Warnings & Story Info: Some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (Ygroup), OCs. Rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. Harry is: very intelligent, still a kid, powerful with limits, confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. Dumbledore dislike story, not a bash story. Will include info from all seven books.

Prequel is of a work not written yet. It focuses solely on Harry in America with no scenes or in-depth info about anyone in Britain. Harry is learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world in America. Harry will go to Hogwarts fourth year, not as a Gryffindor; he attends an elite American school until then. He moves to Britain once Sirius is freed.

Reviews: Reviews, reviews, reviews. Not really begging or anything, but if you like what you've read, let me know. Constructive criticism definitely accepted. I can't improve if I don't know what to improve, after all.

BETAS: Thanks go out to my beta readers Maggie, known on ffnet as "there is only you", and to jynx67. Megan, too! Any problems remaining are entirely mine (and there probably are issues remaining as I have (in)famous epic struggles with commas).

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 04

* * *

Laney was rather surprised to see Kathy sitting at her kitchen table drinking a tall glass of iced tea and reading a book as she brought in the first few bags of groceries. "Where's Jamie?"

"Upstairs." Kathy put the book down on the table, and Laney saw it was one of her goofy romances with the woman swooning on the cover and the guy's hair blowing all over the place as shooting stars blazed in the background. "Sunny stopped by and they're up there attempting the impossible."

"Oh boy," Laney muttered as she pushed the bags back on the counter and stopped to put her hair up in a ponytail. "What are they doing?"

"Jamie's got this idea in his head that he wants to redecorate his room with Legos."

"Of course he does."

"Yeah." Kathy got up and followed Laney out to help with the groceries. "So Sunny, wonderful man that he is, do note my exasperation, thank you, he decides to go out and buy all of the Legos in the nearest toy store, and they are up there at this very moment attempting to build a desk. Last I checked, at least."

"Really?" Laney fanned herself as she waited for Kathy to pull out the last couple of bags. "Jamie's actually kind of weird about colors matching right. I can't imagine they'd have enough of one or two colors of Legos to satisfy him."

"I expect Sunny said he'll change the colors for Jame or something."

"Hm." Laney nudged the door shut with relief and headed for the kitchen. "As much as I don't want my baby to go back to school, I'll be more than glad to have summer end. It's too hot out there to be real."

Kathy snorted.

"Yeah, whatever."

Kathy set to helping her unpack the groceries. "You feed that kid the weirdest stuff…"

"I don't." Laney pulled a box of crackers from her hands. "I just don't feel the need to buy enough sugar to kill him."

"Most children his age don't prefer apples over cookies."

"Maybe they ought to."

There was a sudden thumping on the stairs. "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

"No running down the stairs!"

The thumping stopped. A handful of moments later Harry came into the room, looking innocent as can be, holding a plastic water bottle carefully.

"Look, Mommy! Look!"

Laney braced herself to see something only a little boy could find endearing, but it was only a little lizard, looking distorted and jumpy. Up close, Laney could see the little air holes made in the top of the bottle were actually small, perfectly round little holes.

"Where'd you find that, baby?"

"He was in the bathroom, Mommy," Harry told her with an odd mix of excitement and seriousness. "And Sunnytree helped me catch him in the bottle to take him outside so he could be safe, because Sunnytree said that the insides of lizard houses are the outsides of our houses and the outsides of lizards houses are really the insides of our houses and we should always help each other out when we get lost."

"Good advice to remember," Laney said with a little smile, reaching out to ruffle his hair.

"Though," Harry told her quietly in what he obviously thought was a confiding whisper, "I don't think many lizards know that. People are getting lost all the time outside and they don't help. So Sunnytree told him and I told him and I'll tell him again before we take him back to his house and maybe this lizard can tell the other lizards."

"Maybe."

"It's a mission of utmost importance," Sunny said seriously from the kitchen doorway.

Harry nodded just as seriously.

"Well, you boys go do your part in saving the world," Laney said, smiling affectionately. "And I'll do my part and have orange juice ice- popsicles waiting for you when you come back."

"Okay, Mommy."

"Lizards today," Kathy said once the two were well out of earshot, "caterpillars tomorrow. Maybe a cat by the end of the week-"

"What are you babbling about?" Laney interrupted.

"And next year – they'll save the world!"

Laney groaned and threw the wadded up ball of plastic bags at her.

* * *

"I have a confession to make."

Laney looked over at Kathy suspiciously. "I don't like the sound of that."

"Well…"

"What did you do?"

"Well… You know those advertisements for that Karate Kid movie?"

Laney's suspicious feeling began to crystallize into a suspicion. "Yes?"

"I maybe sort of accidentally kind of told Jamie that you might maybe sort of consider letting him learn karate…"

Laney put down her book carefully. "What?"

"I maybe sort of-"

"I got that part."

"Um. I told Jamie you might let him learn karate…"

"Did you now?"

"It'd be really good for him. Help him with his magic."

"Would it now?"

"And I might have accidentally sort of-"

"Maybe mentioned that to Jamie?"

"Yeah, that."

"I see."

"And, you know, it's not a bad thing. Discipline, fitness, socializing…"

"I see."

"And-"

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Harry came barreling into the room and climbed up onto her lap, eyes bright and expression oh so very hopeful. "Mommy!"

"…Yes?"

"I can learn karate, right? Be good at magic with karate, right? Be like the kid on the commercial with the karate, right?"

Laney sighed.

"Please, Mommy? Please, please? With sugar and karate on top?"

She snorted.

"Please?"

"Oh, all right."

He threw his arms around her in a hug. "Love you!"

* * *

Harry reached the front door first when the doorbell rang, despite the kitchen being just off the entry and Harry having been in the living room at the back of the house, watching cartoons. When Laney joined him he was bouncing up and down excitedly, glancing between the door and the hallway. He had the look of someone who had been waiting positively forever.

"I don't think you're quite excited enough about having people over," Laney said dryly. "Maybe I ought to tell them they should go home."

"Mom!" Harry gave her a scandalized look.

"Just kidding, just kidding." She peered out the little window and then undid the locks.

Terry was braced and ready for the little Harry bullet that shot out at him. He caught Harry up in his arms and spun around once before settling him easily on a hip. "I've been munchkin'd," he said with a grin.

Laney rolled her eyes and grabbed up the bag sitting by Terry's feet before he could grab it himself.

"Thanks, lovely."

Laney rolled her eyes again. "Whatever."

"The others here yet?"

"No. You're early for once."

"Anything for the munchkin." Terry followed Laney into the kitchen, though no sooner had they gone into the room that Harry started to wriggle to get down.

"Smurfs! Smurfs!"

Terry let him down with a smile. "Go on, then."

Harry raced out of the room.

"Ah, the energy of youth," Terry said, settling into a kitchen chair.

Laney hmphed as she unpacked the bag. There was a wide assortment of sandwiches there that she looked over with a raised brow.

Terry shrugged. "You said bring sandwiches. You didn't say make them, which is a good thing. As a confirmed bachelor, my idea of a sandwich is a couple slices of bread, a couple pieces of bologna and some cheese if there's still some somewhere in my fridge that won't bite when I pull it out."

Laney sighed and shook her head.

"I don't have a lovely lady such as yourself looking out for me."

Laney gave him a look.

"Just saying. I can't help it if you're lovely."

"Enough of this flattery. Go watch cartoons while I finish boiling eggs."

"No thanks. The Smurfs freak me out a little."

Laney gave him a look. "The Smurfs freak you out?"

"Yeah."

"…Why?"

"Smurfette."

"What?"

"The girl Smurf. The fact there weren't any until she was created. As a weapon, I might add."

Laney continued to stare at him.

"Hey, I have no problem with them being a whole race of little gay people. Blue gay people, at that. I don't care. But it's just weird to have a whole village of little blue guys, who just spontaneously exist apparently, and then suddenly girls start to appear and the guys go insane and everyone wants her. It's just creepy."

"On second thought, don't go watch cartoons with Jamie. You'll give him some sort of complex."

Terry shrugged. "Just saying."

"It's just a cartoon."

"So?"

"Just never mind. New topic."

"Okay."

Laney carefully dropped some eggs into the boiling water on the stove.

"You know, there's a spell-"

"No."

"All right."

"So." Laney carefully lowered the last egg in. "How's, um, the magical first family doing, if I'm allowed to ask that?"

"Fine. Can't really give details about anything not already public. Though no harm in telling you that Alaisa's kneazle is having a bit of a spat with Johnathan's crup over something. Bit of a mess, really."

"Johnathan's the one that you…?"

"The person I'm assigned to, yes. There's four shifts of us."

"He's the older one, isn't he?"

"By a few years, yeah. Johnny's ten and Laisa is eight."

"That must be kind of weird, being around all the time and seeing all sorts of family stuff but not being a part of it."

"A bit odd. But that's the job you sign up for."

"Mommy! Terry! Mommy!" Harry dashed into the room and then slowed to a sedate walk at Laney's stern look. "Mummy-"

"Mommy," Laney corrected gently.

"Mommy, Mom, can Terry and I do the bag monsters? Can we? Please?"

"Didn't you want to wait for the others?"

"They should be here soon." Harry stared hard at the clock on the wall. "Big hand is… Clock says they should be here soon."

Laney glanced over at the clock, just to be sure, and was relieved to see it didn't say that. With more magic coming in and out of the house on a regular basis, it was sometimes hard to be sure something wouldn't get changed.

"Yes, I see that."

"They said they'd be here after Smurfs. Remember?"

"I remember."

"And it's after Smurfs. It's just the boring names right now. So it's just about right now after Smurfs."

"I expect they'll be here any time, then." The doorbell rang. "Like now."

"I'll get it! Terry can help."

"You've been summoned," Laney said, mouth twitching with a smile as she turned back to her eggs.

"I see this." Terry stood up and caught Harry around the waist before he could run off. "Let's go see who's at the door."

"It's going to be Sunnytree. Cammy's always late."

"I expect you're right."

Terry peered out the window at the door and then opened it.

Harry held out his arms. "Sunnytree!"

Terry and Sunny performed a switch, Sunny taking Harry and Terry taking Sunny's bag.

"Morning."

"You're late!"

Sunny checked his watch. "No. My watch says I'm right on time. See, right there." He showed Harry his watch. "Pointing right at the 'right on time' mark."

Harry tapped the watch face. "Your watch is funny."

"I expect so." He came in and had the door mostly closed when there was a huff from the other side.

"Just shut it in my face why don't you?"

Sunny opened it up again. "Hello there, Cameron."

"Sunny."

"Cammy!"

"Monkeypants!"

Harry giggled and wriggled out of Sunny's arms to give her a hug.

"One of these days someone will explain monkeypants to me," Sunny said mildly.

Cameron and Harry exchanged a glance before looking at Sunny with grins to chorus, "Never!" Harry dissolved into giggles.

Terry came into the hallway carrying several flat and folded brown paper bags from the grocery store. "I snuck these out of the kitchen for our bag monsters," he confided.

"Don't you be out there telling tall tales to my child," Laney called out.

"Yeah, Terry," Harry said with a nod. "No tellin' tall tales. Just short ones."

Terry gave a snort of laughter. "Come on, let's go invade the dining room and claim the table in the name of… bag monsters!"

"Bag monsters!"

Cameron held up a triumphant hand. "Bag monsters!"

There were a few moments of silence. Cameron nudged Sunny with her elbow.

"What? Oh, yes. Bag monsters. Hurrah. Forward march."

Cameron rolled her eyes, but Harry just giggled as he grabbed one of Cameron's hands and one of Sunny's to pull them to the dining room. Terry made a detour into the living room where the big box of art supplies was waiting in anticipation of bag monsters.

"–and so after bag monsters we'll go to the park, Mummy said. Mommy said," Harry was saying as Terry came into the dining room. "And then we'll play! And then we'll all eat lunch and then maybe get ice cream and then maybe play some more and then come back and Mummy- Mommy said that- that we could watch movies. Watch movies and play games. But you can't stay late. Mommy said we have to shop for school tomorrow because school is big and important and I guess so but- but- oh! School means I get to learn magic soon! So you can't stay late."

"I think we can arrange that."

Harry nodded as he reached for a purple marker. "Good."

* * *

"I've got a surprise for you." Cammy scooped Harry up with a grin. "Close your eyes."

He gave her a wide-eyed look before obediently closing his eyes tightly. After a moment he put his hands over his eyes for good measure. "Can I look now?"

"No, not yet," she said with a laugh, nudging open the door to the living room. She carried him over to the table in the middle of the cleared space and set him down on it. "No peeking."

His hands pressed over his eyes more securely. "No peeking."

"Good." She nodded to the other occupants of the room. "When I pull your hands away you can look, okay?"

"Okay!"

She mouthed a 'one, two, three' to the room and then pulled Harry's hands away.

"Surprise!"

Harry stared in wide-eyed wonder as magical fireworks burst out around the room. Cameron, Laney, Kathy and everyone grinned at him and sent up magical streamers. The streamers twirled around in pretty patterns and made pictures of cakes and presents and spelled out words before disappearing with little pops.

"Happy birthday!"

"But I had my birthday…"

"Not your magical birthday," Cameron said with a grin. "And you're six now! That deserves a nice magical birthday. Come on, come look at the games!"

Harry let out a squeal of delight as Cameron swept him off the table and over to the pile of wonderful and strange looking games. One of the boxes gave a croak that made Harry giggle as Cameron put him on his feet again.


	5. Chapter 5

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Not mine.

Warnings & Story Info: Some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (Ygroup), OCs. Rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. Harry is: very intelligent, still a kid, powerful with limits, confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. Dumbledore dislike story, not a bash story. Will include info from all seven books.

Prequel is of a work not written yet. It focuses solely on Harry in America with no scenes or in-depth info about anyone in Britain. Harry is learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world in America. Harry will go to Hogwarts fourth year, not as a Gryffindor; he attends an elite American school until then. He moves to Britain once Sirius is freed.

Reviews: Reviews. They are yummy and delicious. I don't want to sound greedy, my lovely readers, but the more feedback I get on the story (and yes, I very much do accept constructive criticism) the better it'll be.

BETAS: Thanks go out to my beta readers Maggie, known on ffnet as "there is only you", and to jynx67. Megan, too! Any problems remaining are entirely mine (and there probably are issues remaining as I have (in)famous epic struggles with commas).

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 05

* * *

Harry studied Sunny's wand with a thoughtful expression as Sunny explained a little about magic.

"Witches and wizards have magic inside of them, but a lot of them need a wand. Wands are made of materials that are magical, and they help a witch or wizard's magic work better. They sort of attract each other."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"To do a lot with magic, you have to learn how to concentrate. You also have to study and learn a lot of theory and spells. It's not as simple as just holding a wand. Here, I'll show you what I mean." Sunny chose a toothpick from a little box of odds and ends he'd brought with him and he set it on the coffee table. "Let me see my wand. Thank you. Now, see, I just tap it like so, and it changes into a needle."

Harry picked up the needle and studied it curiously.

"I was thinking hard on wanting it to be a needle. I focused on what a needle is and what it looks like. I also thought hard on why I needed a needle more than I needed a toothpick. That helps you really focus just what you want. And now I have a needle. But if I were to give you the wand-"

Harry held out his hand eagerly.

Sunny chuckled. "Want to try it?"

Harry nodded just as eagerly. Sunny handed him his wand.

"All right, but remember what I said. Don't be disappointed when…" he trailed off as Harry nudged the toothpick with the wand, concentrating hard, and the toothpick gave a little shudder before slowly morphing into a shiny needle. "I… see."

Harry looked up anxiously. "Should I not have done that?" he asked quickly.

"No, no, that's- perfectly fine. Excellent. Just- excellent. Very good."

"I can change it back…" Harry said, fidgeting uncertainly.

"No, it's… do you think you could?"

"Um. Yeah?"

"Go ahead. Give it a try."

Harry prodded the needle again, and with noticeably less concentration and effort, it was once again a toothpick. Sunny resisted picking it up and breaking it to see if it had changed all the way through.

"How did you do that?" Sunny asked after studying the toothpick for a few moments.

Harry gave him a look of pure astonishment. "You don't know how to change it back?"

"No, I do." Sunny shook his head with amusement. "I do, but it's a bit more difficult to change things back to what they were than to change them to something new. I'm just curious how you did it."

"Uh. I just sort of told it that it's really a toothpick and liked being a toothpick more…"

"Did you now?"

"Yeah…"

"Very good. Very, very good." Sunny picked up the toothpick to study it. "Do you mind if I break it to see if it's wood all the way through?"

Harry shrugged. "Your toothpick."

Sunny snapped it. He wasn't really surprised to see it was completely a toothpick. "Very good."

Harry gave him an almost shy smile. "Yeah?"

"Excellent. Very excellent." Sunny considered Harry. He'd gone back to studying the wand happily. "Want to do some more magic?"

Harry nodded eagerly.

"Okay. How about we change a needle into a pin?"

"Like a poke-you kind of pin?"

"Just that."

"Doesn't seem too hard."

"Rather confident."

"But, no," Harry protested. "It's just telling it to kind of stretch a little, right? Get longer and lose the little holey thing at the top?"

Sunny studied him thoughtfully. "Perhaps so. Here." He pulled a needle out of his little box. "Go ahead and try."

Harry nodded. With a more serious look, he held the wand tip against the needle and stared at it. When nothing happened for a few moments, Sunny stopped watching the needle and started watching Harry.

Harry was so focused, he seemed to be in another world. Sunny found his expression intriguing; it looked as though Harry was having some sort of intense discussion with himself. Suddenly Harry relaxed and smiled, giving the needle a prod. The needle lengthened into a pin.

"Very good," Sunny said quietly, picking up the needle to study it. "Very good."

Harry grinned.

"Feeling tired?"

"No."

"Not even a little?"

"Not even a little."

"All right. So let's see about some more magic?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

"He has more instinctive understanding of magic than I've ever seen. Or rather, more than I've seen in someone untrained."

Kathy's brows went up and Laney frowned in puzzlement.

"What does that mean…?"

"He just gets how magic works." Sunny shook his head. "Or, no. Yes and no. He gets magic, but he also gets it in his own way. He thinks very simplistically about how things should go and if he can't visualize how he wants it to happen he can't do it. But the fact he can visualize, without words, and direct power through a wand that's very in tune with someone else…"

"So he's doing actual magic?" Laney asked.

"Definitely." Sunny sat back and scratched his chin. There was a hint of stubble there. "Granted, it's basic; some of the most basic transfigurations and charms that children learn once they've got a bit of magical theory understanding behind them. But he doesn't have the theory behind him, and he's two years younger than even the youngest tend to start."

"So?"

"So, Jamie is a very talented little boy. In my opinion, we should be training him in anything he's willing to take the time to learn. It's easier when you're younger, you know, when it's special and fun, rather than when you're older and it's suddenly all school. And this young, with his magical strength and ability still forming, he'll have far, far more control of his magic when he gets older than most children."

"And that's a good thing," Laney said slowly.

"Very good thing," Sunny agreed. "There's just something about the way he does magic that he really should get a firm hand on, before he's old enough to grasp onto theory and abstract. Once that happens, if this hasn't been reinforced, I expect he'll lose this simple, strong connection to magic he seems to have."

Laney glanced at Kathy. She gave a shrug followed by an encouraging nod. Laney turned her attention back to Sunny. "Well… all right."

"And Terry wants to start showing him a little bit of defensive magic," Sunny said carefully.

"What? No. It's just the end of September, Sunny. It hasn't even been two months since he started this stuff." Laney stood up to pace. "No. I said I don't want any of that- none of that stuff. He's just six. No. He's too young. No."

"That does seem a bit much," Kathy murmured, looking a little torn.

Sunny shrugged. "Terry is a bodyguard for the President's son. They start teaching the children whatever they can when they're around Jamie's age and a little older. It's because they're so high profile."

"Well, Jamie isn't," Laney said with finality.

Sunny nodded. "You're quite right. He isn't." He gave Laney a mild look. "But he will be one day."

"And that day will be years from now!"

"One can only hope." Sunny gave another shrug. "Just think about it, all right. That's all."

Laney gave him a look.

"Just think about it."

"Fine," she finally said in a tone that said the contrary; it had been thought about and it wasn't going to happen.

He sighed a little. "That's all I can ask."

* * *

"How's he doing?" Laney asked softly. She stopped just outside of the doorway where Terry was leaning, watching Harry and Sunny work magic in the living room.

"Good." Terry nodded to where Harry was making several Legos float around the room, holding Sunny's wand with concentration. "I know it doesn't look like much, but plastic is a little harder to affect with magic than natural materials. Or rather, organic materials. He's holding a branched spell, too, controlling several blocks at once. And they're not just floating; he's moving them around the room with very fine control."

"The idea of a child this young being able to do reliable magic at all has broken my ability to gauge the impressiveness of the magic. I take it this _is_ impressive?"

"Very. If he were a couple years older this would be a little more commonplace, but even most children wouldn't have such fine control, and certainly not with a wand that's firmly bonded to someone else. It is impressive."

Laney couldn't help her proud smile, even if the idea of Harry doing magic still unsettled her when she let herself think too deeply about it.

"When he gets out of classes for winter break, Sunny's going to give him time off from lessons. Unless Jamie complains too much, of course. No point in upsetting him by forcing a break on him." Terry shrugged a little. "That's, what? Almost three months away? Yeah, three months. He might be ready for a break by then."

Laney shrugged a little.

"After the first of the year, though, I think Sunny plans on really pushing Jamie's magical limits. We all think Jamie will go far beyond our expectations."

* * *

"Very good. Now, I want you to turn this block of wood into a toy car." Sunny set a small block of wood in front of Harry.

Harry studied the block. Sunny had to resist assuring him that if it didn't work there was nothing wrong with that. He didn't want to plant doubt and make it likely that Harry would fail.

"Toy car?" Harry asked, rubbing his fingers along Sunny's wand.

"Yes."

Harry studied the block of wood a little while longer and then he pressed the tip of the wand against the wood and gave it a few pokes. When nothing happened Sunny let out a slow breath, about to say something when he realized that Harry didn't look upset at all. In fact he seemed to be in the middle of some inner debate. And then he tapped the wood a few more times with the wand, in an adorably no-nonsense way that had Sunny smiling.

At first nothing happened, and then slowly the block began to shrink in on itself, wobbling a little. One moment the block was there, and the next there was a toy car, the same size as the block of wood. Harry looked up at him expectantly.

"Very good," Sunny managed. "Very, very good."

Harry grinned and poked the car with the wand again. "Vroom goes the car! Vroom vroom!" The car began to putter around the table on little wheels that actually turned. It took every bit of Sunny's self control not to gape.

"That is-" He cleared his throat as an idea occurred to him. "How about- instead of making it go 'vroom', why don't you try and change the color?"

Harry gave a little nod and waved the wand. The little car stopped puttering around the table and came to stop in front of him. With an intense expression he pressed the tip of the wand against the car and stared at it hard. Sunny had to stop himself from holding his breath.

Slowly, so slowly that Sunny doubted it at first, color began to creep along the wood. What had once been a brown car slowly became shining red.

Harry sat back with a heavy little breath and grinned at Sunny. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Sunny gave him a very proud smile. "Absolutely."

* * *

"Laney?"

"Hey, Sunny." Laney put down her book and glanced over at the playground equipment where Harry and Terry were scampering around playing monsters. Harry gave a "Rarrr!" and stomped out of sight behind the structure in pursuit of Terry.

Sunny settled into the plastic patio chair beside her and leaned in close. "Laney, I really think it's time to call in an actual magic teacher."

Laney gave him a sharp look. "What? Why?"

"I've got to be honest." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm running out of things to teach him."

Laney snorted in disbelief.

"No, I am. I know a lot more magic, yes, but I'm running out of ideas on just what to teach him that won't be too hard for him to grasp, but also won't be too easy. I'm just an Auror. I have teaching experience, but that's with Auror trainees. I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm leaving out important lessons. With how quickly he takes in information and how easily he seems to do magic, I think its time to get someone in here to make sure he's learning what he ought to be before it starts to show."

"I don't know…"

"Laney, I only realized a couple weeks ago that we'd never even gotten him his own wand, because he's never seemed to need it. But there's a reason kids get their own wand and that they get a real, solid, custom wand when they get into an actual school of magic. We might not use wands as much for everyday things, but they're still important." Sunny glanced out at the playground where Harry was shrieking under a tickle attack. "He needs someone used to teaching children, Laney. He has too much potential to ignore. He… changed the color of something the other day."

"So?"

"So, that's something that you learn in your first or second year of attending an actual magic school. It's very advanced."

Laney stared at him. "How did he do it?"

"I don't know, but he did. I really think we need to get an actual teacher for him."

Laney bit her lip. "I don't want just anyone around him."

"Neither do I." He turned serious eyes to her. "Trust me, neither do I. Jamie has talents… like I've never seen. Believe me, I have no intention of letting just anyone around him."

"You sound like you have someone in mind."

"I do, yes. He's a former Auror, in fact. While he wouldn't be under the same contract of secrecy, I'd still trust him like I'd trust myself on this. He's a good man, damn good Auror. Or he was, anyway. Knows his stuff, smart guy. He's actually an adjunct professor at one of the premier private magical institutions in the country. A bit younger than me. I think Jamie will really like him."

"Why's he a former Auror? What happened?"

"Nasty curse to the leg. He didn't lose it, but he limps heavily these days and it gives him some pain."

"What's his name?"

"John Kigg."

Laney sighed. "You really think this is necessary?"

"Entirely."

"Really?"

"Absolutely." Sunny shifted closer, voice dropping. "Laney, Jamie needs instruction I just can't give him. He can do things with magic that shouldn't be possible at his age. He needs a real teacher."

Laney sighed again. "If you really think so…"

"I do."

"Then when he gets out of school, go ahead and set it up."

Sunny gave a nod and sat back.

* * *

"Jamie, could you come in here please?" Sunny called out from the living room.

"Yeah!" There was a thundering of running feet accompanied by a, "No running in the house!" from the dining room. Harry appeared in the living room doorway with a sheepish grin that melted away into a curious look when he saw the man sitting beside Sunny.

Laney stepped out of the dining room and went to stand in the living room doorway as Harry skipped into the room. The man sitting on the couch gave her a friendly, lopsided smile and a nod before focusing his attention on Harry.

Harry stopped at the end of the couch almost shyly as his curious gaze went from the man to the plain wooden cane leaning against the couch beside him.

"Curse to the knee, young man," he said kindly. "Five years now. Had to quit the Aurors."

"Are you Mr. Kigg?"

"I am, yes. Mr. John is fine, though." He gestured to the chair beside him. "Have a seat, perhaps?"

Harry nodded and climbed up into the seat, still studying him.

"You're going to be my new teacher?"

"If you'd like, young man. From what Sunny tells me, it certainly sounds like we'd get along well."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"What are you going to teach me?"

"A little of this and a little of that. I'm going to try and get you a better-rounded education in magic. I noticed that your lessons have been a little charms and transfiguration heavy; you haven't even touched potions at all."

"You'll teach me potions?" Harry asked eagerly.

"I certainly will, young man."

"When can we start?!"

John laughed. "How about over the weekend, if you mother has no objections."

Harry twisted around to give Laney a pleading look. "Mom, potions! He'll teach me potions!"

"Lord have mercy," Laney sighed. "Yes, of course. Just don't blow anything up."

"Of course not." John turned his attention back to Harry. "But first I think you need a wand."

"A wand? Of my very own?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Yes, certainly."

"When?!"

"Well, I have some starter wands with me-"

"Really?!" Harry interrupted with excitement.

"Yes, really. I take it you'd like to look at them?"

"Yes!"

John laughed and pulled out a wand from his jacket. He gave it a twirl and swish, pointed it at the coffee table and a little briefcase appeared. "Now…" He gave a flick and twitch of the wand and the coffee table pulled up close to him as the locks on the case opened with a little snap. Harry, however, was staring at John's wand in fascination.

"Yes?"

"Sunnytree hardly ever uses his wand for stuff like that…"

John chuckled. "Sunnytree, huh? Well, some people aren't as good with wandless magic as others, but I used to be, before the curse. Ever since the curse," he tapped his left leg with his hand, "my magic hasn't been quite as steady as it used to be."

Harry shifted a little bit, looking a bit worried. "Will I be able to do wandless magic?"

"Most people can, even if only a little. But I think you'll be quite good at wandless magic."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." John looked over at Sunny. "Have you tested it?"

"Tested it? He's-"

"Quite the talented young man," John said with a knowing nod. "Let's just see, shall we?" He looked back to Harry. "Now, you know how to make things levitate? Fly?"

Harry nodded.

"Pretty easy for you?"

Harry nodded again.

"Excellent." He held his wand out to Harry. "Let's try it with a wand first." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a handkerchief to set down on top of the case. "Make that fly, please."

Harry studied the wand in his hand with a curious expression. "Your wand feels different."

"Feels different?"

"From Sunnytree's. And even from Terry's and Cammy's."

"Really? Different how?"

"Um." He rubbed his fingers along the wand lightly, following the grain of the wood. "I'm not sure. I just know it's different."

"Can you describe what you feel?"

Harry bit his lip as he studied the wand. "Well, like tighter."

"My wand feels tighter?"

"Yeah. Like it was made different, maybe? Tighter magic?"

John considered that. "Sunny?"

"Yeah?"

"Your wand American?"

"Yeah."

"And to the best of your knowledge are Cammy and Terry's wands American made?"

"Yeah."

John rubbed his left knee absently. "Well, that might be it. My wand is from Europe. I had an accident with mine several years ago while I was over there and needed to get a new one. This one fit me quite nicely to me when I found it and I decided to keep it when I came back."

"And that makes it tighter?"

"I think their wand making processes are a little more ritualistic. And I'm fairly sure their Ministry is more restrictive. Some might say that could account for magic being tighter."

"Okay." Harry rubbed the wand again and then pressed the tip against the handkerchief. He studied the handkerchief with an increasingly hard expression. At last he pulled the wand away from the handkerchief and gave a little jab. When nothing happened he looked over at John and shrugged. "Doesn't feel like it right now."

"You don't?"

"No, the han'kerchief."

"The handkerchief?"

"Yup."

It was Sunny's turn to give John a knowing smile. "Is your handkerchief laced with magic in any way?"

"Uh, yeah. Cleaning and pressing charms."

"Exactly." Sunny looked to the doorway where Laney was still standing. "We need a paper towel in here, if you could."

"Sure."

John continued to give Sunny a puzzled look and Sunny continued to look all knowing.

"Laney, if you could just stay there and hold the paper towel out. Thank you. Jamie, summon it."

Harry turned around with a shrug and pointed the wand at the paper towel and then to the briefcase. The paper towel slipped from Laney's hand and floated over to rest atop the briefcase. Harry gave Sunny a nod and Sunny gave him a solemn nod. "Thank you."

"Remarkable," John murmured. "Completely wordless."

"You don't say words," Harry pointed out. "And Sunnytree doesn't often. And neither does Cammy and Terry, unless they're doing something big."

"Quite right, very good. So, what I'd like you to do, please, is simply levitate the paper towel and let it float briefly before lowering it."

Harry gave him a curious look, but turned the wand to the paper towel to levitate it easily. After a handful of moments he let it lower and gave John an expectant look.

"Very good. Now, if you could do so again. And when you do I want you to concentrate on how it feels."

"Okay…" Harry turned back to the paper towel and repeated the process with a faint frown of concentration. He looked back to John expectantly after letting it hover a little longer.

"And again, please."

"Um. Why? I'm concentrating, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to feel. Is something supposed to happen?"

"I just want you to get the feel of the spell."

"What does that mean?"

"You see, every magical person has magic in their body. That's how they make things happen. I want you to try and find that magic in you by feeling it when you cast the spell. I think you'll be able to after a little while of trying, given that you could sense something different in my wand."

Harry considered him. "So you want me to feel my magic?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Every magic user needs to know the feel of their magic, young man."

"Yeah, but why right now?"

"Because it's much harder to do when you're not holding a wand. So I want you to know how it feels with a wand in your hand so you can find your magic without a wand. See, the magic in a wand helps taps into and focus a person's magic. It's sort of like…"

"They attract each other, yeah," Harry said, nodding.

"Yes, exactly."

"But if you don't have a wand…" Harry says with a frown. "I know you can do magic, but I'm not sure how you'd reach it…"

"Well…"

Sunny studied the paper towel thoughtfully. "You remember how last week your jar of bouncy balls fell over and went under the dresser?"

Harry nodded.

"And you were down on the floor trying to reach them all and pull them out by hand one at a time until Terry came to see what the noise was?"

Harry nodded.

"And we summoned a broom and swept the handle under the dresser and got the rest of them out in just a couple of tries?"

Harry nodded.

"Using a wand is sort of like taking the broom and sweeping out all of the bouncy balls at once. You're using something else to reach a lot more at once. If you don't use the broom you have to reach in and struggle to find them one at a time, but you can still get them all. It just takes a lot more work."

Harry nodded slowly. "And that's like magic how?"

"Imagine that the wand is sweeping out a lot more of your magic at once and so it's easier to use it. But if you don't have a wand you can still do magic, you just have to work harder to gather up enough of it at once."

"So… wandless magic takes a long time to do?" He frowned. "It doesn't for you."

"No, it doesn't. Imagine that in the case of magic the time you would spend doing it is actually really how hard you have to work to do it."

"I still don't get it."

There was a snort from the doorway. They looked over to see Terry easing his way around Laney. "Good thing I got off duty when I did. Poor kid. He's a doer, just like me. He'll figure it out if he has an example of it. Don't confuse him with all the mumbo jumbo of it." Terry dropped down on the couch beside Harry and held out his wand to him. "Hold this."

Harry accepted the wand with a puzzled grin.

"Here, let me see that one." He took John's wand. "Now, use my wand to lift up the paper towel."

Harry shrugged and did so.

"Now this one." He held out John's wand again and waited as Harry levitated the paper towel again. "Good. Sunny, toss me your wand."

With an amused look Sunny leaned forward to set it on the table and with an eye roll Terry summoned it the rest of the way to hand it to Harry, taking John's wand. "Now try that one."

Harry did it again and gave Terry an expectant look.

"Not yet, kid. Now what I want you to do is lift up the paper towel with all three wands again, and as you're doing it concentrate on feeling the magic and find the magic that feels the same all three times. Can you do that?"

"Yeah." He took each wand in turn and did so, concentrating very hard. And then with even more concentration he did it one more time before looking up with a grin. "I felt it!"

"Great! That's your magic. Everything else is from the wand. Now, which wand feels better to you? Which one seems more right?"

Harry shrugged. "They're all the same."

"Not even Sunny's wand is better?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

"Okay." He held out his wand again. "When you feel your magic, see if you can figure out where it's coming from."

"Okay." Harry took the wand and levitated the paper towel again. He held it for a good while before slowly lowering the paper towel. "It's coming from inside," he said with a bit of a shrug, looking uncertainly at Terry. "Not, like, oh, there it is, right there in my foot. Just sort of inside. Like, you know, just sort of inside."

Terry chuckled. "Try and find it without using the wand."

"Shouldn't be hard." Harry sat back with his arms crossed, staring hard at the farther wall. "Yeah, still inside."

Terry chuckled again. "Good. What I want you to do is close your eyes and lift the paper towel again using the wand, and I want you to keep trying to lift it when I take the wand away. It might feel like something's being stretched and wants to break, but you just tell it you're the boss and it's not allowed. Think you can do that?"

"Oh yeah, definitely. I'm the boss."

"Good for you. Now lift the paper towel."

Harry closed his eyes and did so. Terry waited for the paper towel to hold steady for at least a dozen seconds before very carefully and gently starting to ease the wand from Harry's hand.

"Wait, stop," Harry said just as the wand was barely not touching him. Terry held the wand there. "It's being a meanie head," he pouted. "I gotta tell it I'm the boss." Harry's fingers flexed around the wand and his look of concentration shifted into a concentrated scowl. "Meanie head."

"Can I move it?"

"It's being all wriggly and mean." Harry went back to pouting. "Says I don't need the paper towel."

Terry glanced over at Sunny with a raised brow and Sunny shrugged. John was looking very intrigued.

"Won't listen." Harry reached out and grasped the wand again, still pouting, and lowered the paper towel as he opened his eyes. "It doesn't like me."

"Why don't we try it again," John said slowly. "And I'm going to spray you with water, if you don't mind. So that way you can tell the magic that you do need the paper towel."

Harry shrugged and took off his glasses carefully. "Okay."

"Well, whenever you're ready. Here, I'll do it now so it doesn't distract you."

"I'll do it," Terry said firmly, lifting his wand. A moment later a fine spray of water made Harry giggle. "Now levitate the paper towel."

Harry went through the motions again and Terry gave him twice as long to get the magic steady and strong before very carefully and slowly easing the wand away, pausing in increments to let Harry adjust, before pulling the wand away completely. The paper towel dipped and moved erratically, but then it steadied very slowly and began to rise again.

"Because I need it!" Harry snapped out suddenly. The paper towel smacked into his outstretched hand. His eyes opened wide in surprise and he gave a laugh. "I did it!"

"Yes, you did," Terry said with a grin.

Harry yawned suddenly. "But I'm all tired."

"Go take a nap, Jamie," Sunny told him, smiling fondly. "Wandless magic makes everyone tired when they first start learning it."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely," Terry echoed. "I always had to take naps."

"Really?"

"Oh yes." Sunny nodded. "So did I."

"Promise?"

"We promise."

Harry gave John a curious look. "That really true?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay." He yawned again and then frowned. "But wait, I want a wand."

"Well," John leaned forward and motioned Harry to lean forward as well. "Those are just starter wands. I think you need a real wand."

"Really?!"

"Really."

"Really, really?!"

"Yes, definitely."

Harry grinned.

"And soon," John said, anticipating the next question. He chuckled. "Not too long. I promise."

"Really?"

"Really, really and most really with cherries on top."

Harry giggled around another yawn. "Okay. But-" He yawned again. "I'm tired."

"Go nap."

"Here, I'll take you upstairs." Terry stood up and scooped him up. "You did good today, kid," Terry said as he carried him out of the room, pausing long enough for Laney to give Harry a proud kiss.

"Did really?"

"You really did."

Sunny looked over at John once they'd gone and John gave him a look of amazement in return. "That boy…"

"Amazing, isn't it?"

"That boy… wandless magic…"

"You were the one that pushed for it."

"I thought I could get a wobble or something out of him." John shook his head. "Not actual magic. Not back to back levitating and summoning. That was…"

"Amazing. Yep."

"And no words."

"He never uses them. Unless saying things like 'stop being lazy and get over here' counts."

"Amazing…"

"And completely confidential," Laney said sharply from the doorway.

John looked up at her in surprise and nodded. "Yes, of course, completely confidential. Completely."

Laney relaxed a little. "Good."

"That boy…"

Suntree's mouth twitched with amusement. "Think you're up to the challenge?"

John smiled slowly. "Yes, I rather think I am."

"I'm glad." Sunny sat back. "I'm too old to keep up with him. Oh so old. Ancient. Prehistoric. Have fun with that."

* * *

"All right." Sunny looked between Terry and Kathy as he shifted Harry in his arms. He stepped back a little more into the arrangement of empty benches and potted plants. "Everyone ready?"

"Yeah."

"Sure."

"Yeah!"

Sunny chuckled. "Good. Now we're going to try something. I think you might find it fun, Jamie. Want to try?"

"Yeah!"

"Close your eyes and see if you can sense any magic around you."

With a grin Harry closed his eyes and concentrated hard. "Yeah! Wow…"

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah!"

Sunny chuckled. "Which direction?"

"Um…" He pointed off to the right. "That way."

"Very good." Sunny set off in that direction.

"So I'm right?"

"Very much."

Harry grinned brightly. "It's getting stronger, too," he said excitedly. "Really stronger. And it's not moving at all."

"Open your eyes and look around. See if you see anything interesting."

Harry's eyes popped open and he looked around the mall eagerly. He didn't notice it the first time, but the second time he glanced over and then looked back to something that started to seem out of place.

"See something?"

"Well. There's a big archway over there. It's the same color as the wall. But it doesn't look right with the rest of the stuff in here. Kind of big and blocky. And there's writing over the top but it's kind of weird… Puh…peehoen…puhoen…"

"Phoenix?" Terry suggested. "Remember 'P' followed by an 'H' makes an 'F' sound."

"Oh, that's right."

"What's the second word?"

Harry studied it with a frown. "Plaz… plaza!"

"Very good."

"Phoenix Plaza. What's that?"

"That's where we're going." Sunny casually strolled over to the wall and leaned back against it. Kathy and Terry joined him. "Here's an important thing to remember," Sunny said quietly. "The gateways into the magical world are often hidden in the middle of non-magical places. If you're casual about it and wait patiently, the magic will make sure no one notices you disappear."

There was a quiet click behind them and Sunny turned around. A door handle had appeared on the wall. "Ah, good." As he turned the handle, the outline of a door appeared briefly before it shimmered away, leaving an open archway. When the group passed through it Harry felt a strange little shiver of magic go down his spine and he giggled.

"That tickles."

"What does?"

"The magic. It's like a spider crawling down my back."

"Really?"

"Uh huh." Harry looked around with interest.

At first it looked like they'd just turned another corner in the mall. There were the same walls and the same storefronts, though Harry was quite amazed to see that the outsides of the stores seemed smaller than the space inside. And the things inside!

In one window, there were strange metal things – thin, flat, long, bent, kinked, twisted, spiraling – that bobbed side to side, twirled around, bounced. Another store had colorful curtains and candles and big crystal balls and other funny things. The store to the left looked like it'd been squashed up with shelves full of things that glittered and sparkled.

And the feel of the place! It was like little spiders all over his skin, especially when they passed by the really interesting looking stores, but the spiders were really little touches of strong, steady magic. It was soft and warm and nice and comforting. It was like being at home after the wards were strengthened, but a hundred times better!

"Jamie, we can't stay and look around. Not today. Remember?"

Harry gave a distracted nod, craning his head this way and that.

"Jamie?"

"Yeah, I know." He looked to Kathy eagerly. "Can we come back soon?"

"We'll have to see."

"Please? I'll be really good and… whoa."

Harry looked around the huge space they'd just walked into. It was like they'd just left the mall and walked out into an open outside area. It didn't look like they were in a mall at all, but on a brick paved street with strange, old buildings in all shapes and sizes – a completely round store front to the right, a spiky start to the left, one to the far end that was in the shape of a banana! And everywhere he looked, it was bright, hundreds of colors, shimmering and sparkling all with magic.

And the people! They were everywhere! It seemed to Harry that the entire magical world must be shopping here it was so busy. And they were wearing some pretty strange clothes – men in what looked like dresses, a figure covered head to toe in strips of cloth, a woman dressed up like she was going to a fancy party.

"Lots'a people," Harry murmured. "Lots'a weird people."

"It's just shy of Christmas," Sunny answered absently. "And that's the magical world for you."

"Less people paying attention to other shoppers," Harry thought he heard Terry mutter.

Sunny turned to the right at a brisk walk. They passed by a potions shop and Harry eagerly strained to see as they passed.

Inside the walls were lined with hundreds of strange bottles and at the back, over real roaring fires there were cauldrons that smoked in vivid colors and from which bubbles rose and popped with flashes of light. The large window was filled with strange looking things in jars like bits of bugs and slimy things and things that wriggled and crawled and something that even looked like eyeballs floating that had Harry craning to see as they walked past.

"Is that stuff really real?" he breathed.

"Really real."

Harry looked off in the other direction wide-eyed and saw a shop full of animals. There were cats and dogs and birds of all sorts and rats and snakes and lots of other strange looking creatures that didn't look familiar at all. As he stared, a woman wearing one of those strange outfits, something kind of like a nightgown in fact, came out with a spotted bird that looked like it had two sets of wings and sounded like it was making a high pitched laughing noise.

A loud bang made him jump and look ahead. There was the great big round-shaped store just ahead of them and he gaped at the displays in its windows. There were colorful and flashing things moving around against the glass, like on a television screen, but as they got closer, Harry saw that they were behind the glass and were actual tiny little figures flying around! On brooms! Throwing around balls of some sort. As he watched, the ball suddenly exploded with a 'BANG!' that shook the glass and one of the silent teams behind the glass cheered while the other shook their fists. The player that had been holding the ball flew right towards the glass, and when it seemed it would smash right into the glass it disappeared in a flash of fireworks!

"What's that…?"

"Quodpot."

"What's that?"

"We'll explain it later."

"Here we are. Finally." Kathy pushed open a store door and Sunny strode quickly inside. Terry followed just as quickly. Once the door closed, Harry blinked at how quiet everything was.

He twisted around in Sunny's arms to look around, but it didn't seem that exciting. It was kind of like a shoe store, in fact, but the boxes were much smaller and- His eyes widened. Filled with wands!

"Is this where I'm getting my wand?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Yes."

"John?"

"Yes?" John came out from the back of the store and gave the group a grin. "Glad to see you could make it. I was just talking with Brian about the pre-made wand business. Been picking up a bit more lately."

"Yes, indeed it has," an older man said as he came from the back of the store. Harry stared at him curiously. He had the biggest, bushiest, blackest eyebrows Harry had ever seen, and when he smiled and his eyes got smaller, they looked like they were trying to eat his face.

"And who's this young man?" he asked, coming over with his eyebrows trying to eat his face.

"Jamie," he murmured, watching in fascination.

"Jamie, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Looking for a good starter wand today, then? I've got a really nice stock in over here."

"Actually, no." Terry came around and flipped open a little wallet he'd pulled from his pocket. "Important business today, Mr. Westerland. I need your permission to lock and seal your store for our stay."

The man gave the wallet a rather surprised look and then gave the group of them an appraising study. His eyes lingered on Harry.

"Go right ahead," he said after several long moments. "Former law enforcement myself, you know. Well, I'm sure you know. You came all the way to shop here for a reason, I expect. Not Auror, though, I never made it. Regional."

Terry nodded. "Thank you." He drew his wand and made some complicated motions over the store, muttering under his breath. Harry gave a surprised squeak, feeling as though the store had closed in tightly around him.

"Jamie?"

"Store got all tight," he muttered to Sunny. "Pressing in."

"That's what it was supposed to do."

"Oh, okay."

"Though most people don't feel that part," Kathy muttered with a grin.

Harry grinned back.

"And one more thing before we can proceed, Mr. Westerland." Terry pulled some papers seemingly out of nowhere. "I'm going to need you to sign this confidentiality contract."

As Harry watched him, the man's eyebrows went up and tried to eat his hair.

"Really now?" The man took the contract and studied it hard. "Looks standard."

"It is."

"Well." He eyed Harry again with much more speculation. "Sure, I'll sign it." He took it with him to the back of the store and Terry followed. John looked like he wanted to follow, but it was obvious why he didn't when he limped heavily over to the group instead.

"Leg giving you trouble today, John?" Sunny asked.

"Yeah. Damn – sorry, young man – dang leg always acts up around a lot of active magic."

"That's okay," Harry said brightly. "Cammy says that all the time." Behind him Kathy sniggered.

John grinned. "Not so bad, really. Looks worse than it is because I've got a brace on today. Dang knee kept giving out this morning."

Harry looked at him with concern. "Gonna be okay?"

"Oh, yeah. As okay as I'll ever be."

"Sure?"

"Yeah." He reached out and ruffled Harry's hair. "So. How's your potions homework coming? Sunny helping you out with it?"

Harry made a face. "Sunnytree foisted," he giggled, "foisted he did, foisted it right off on Terry."

"Jamie learned a new word this weekend," Kathy said, mouth quirked in amusement. "If you hadn't guessed."

Harry grinned. "He foisted it."

"I do hope Terry didn't foist it," John said, grinning back.

"What am I not foisting?"

"Jamie's potions homework."

"Nah. Not hard or anything. Just going over ingredients and some of the terminology."

"It was funner-"

"More fun," Sunny corrected absently.

" – more fun actually making the potion last weekend. Even if it tasted really funny. Like old crayons."

John gave him an amused look. "Yes, I imagine you would know what that tastes like."

Harry gave a bright nod.

"All right." The man with the hungry eyebrows came back over to the group. "So we're looking at starter wands today?"

"Nope." John smiled faintly. "Regular wands, if you please."

"Oh? I'd been under the impression it was the young man there getting a wand today."

"It is."

"Ah." He studied Harry curiously. "The confidentiality contract suddenly makes more sense. Well, any idea what sort of wand you're looking for? Specific type of strength? Type of wood? One core? Two cores? Flexibility? Elemental leaning?"

Harry gave him a mystified look. Sunny glanced at Kathy and then over to Terry before settling his gaze on John. John was studying Harry.

"How about we let Jamie down and have a look around," he suggested at last.

Brian shifted a little uneasily. "Might be better to start him off looking at something specific."

"The problem with that," John said carefully, "is that he doesn't show any tendency towards one type of wand over another."

"Really now?" Brian studied Harry as Sunny lowered him to his feet. "Well. Maybe he can walk around a bit. But no touching."

Harry gave an eager nod. "Yes, Sir."

"I'll go with him."

Harry gave John a sudden severe look. "No you won't, mister. You're gonna stay right here. No, you're gonna sit somewhere."

"What?"

"Somewhere to sit." He looked at Brian. "Chairs?"

"I've got some benches around this shelf here."

"Good." Harry looked back to John. "Go sit."

"You must be in more pain than you've let on," Sunny muttered to John. "Kid can always tell."

"Ah." John chuckled. "Yes, I'll go sit. Thank you, young man."

Harry nodded and even followed him over to the bench to make sure he sat before wandering away to get lost in the forest of the shelves. Kathy trailed after him after sharing looks with her fellow Aurors.

"I have no idea," Harry breathed after a while of staring wide-eyed at wands. "They all seem so nice."

"None of them feel better than others?"

"No."

"You don't want to pick any of them up a bit more than others?"

"No."

"Well, I think it's time to test some. Mr. Westerland!"

The man appeared around the side of the shelves. "Yes?"

"We'd like to test some of these out."

"Ah. Found some, then?"

"Not really, which is why we want to test some."

He frowned. "What? Just randomly test some wands? You could be here all day. You really ought to at least have a starting place. Type of wood, maybe. And I'm sure you know a wand doesn't really wake up, as it were, until a witch or wizard really starts to use it. That's why children get starter wands. Are you sure you don't want to start there?"

"Brian, Jamie has a starter wand," John said, limping over heavily and earning himself a reproachful look from Harry.

"You should be sitting down, Mr. John."

"Can't sit down all day, young man. Bit of a rest for the old leg is all I needed."

"How long has he had the starter wand?"

John exchanged a glance with Kathy and Kathy gave a small shrug. "About two weeks now," Kathy said.

Brian gave a wince and a sigh. "Listen, folks." He sighed again. "I was beginning to wonder about this, but- you can't teach a child magic before he's ready. Some of you really ought to know that." He gave John a pointed look. "If he's not getting on well with a starter wand, then a regular wand isn't the way to go."

The group exchanged various glances while Harry gazed up at them, looking a little amused.

"You're all so tall."

With a chuckle Sunny picked him up.

"Now I'm speculating here that the charming young man is the son of some rich, influential businessman or more likely a politician…" Brian glanced around the room but none of the faces gave away anything. "But that doesn't mean he's so gifted with magic that the reason a starter wand doesn't work is because he needs a real wand. It's just not his time. I'm sorry."

Kathy and Sunny exchanged a serious glance, Sunny looked over at Terry and raised his brows, Terry gave John a questioning look, and John shrugged before giving a little nod, glancing sidelong at Brian. With a nod to Sunny, Terry pulled out his wand and held it out to Brian.

"Take a look at my wand, if you please. I think you'll find it a very solid Auror wand."

Brian took it, puzzled, but turned a professional eye to studying it carefully and testing the response of it in his hand. "Bit of a stubborn one, isn't it?" He chuckled. "But most Auror wands get that way, if they don't start that way. Definitely a good wand, very reliable."

"Try to cast with it."

"Oh, I don't know. By the feel of it I don't think it'll be worth the effort. This is a wand with a lot of personality."

"Just give it a try."

He shrugged as he got a good grip on it and gave it a few experimental swishes. With a look of concentration he pointed it down the aisle to a table at the back, muttering something under his breath. After several moments something shot off the table and knocked over a small stepladder. Brian gave a little cough and handed the wand back.

"Not what I meant to do. Just meant to summon the tape measure. Knew that wand would give me trouble." He went to pull out his own wand.

"Let me," Terry said, holding out a forestalling hand. "Or rather- Suntree, if you would?"

Sunny set Harry onto his feet and gave him a nudge towards Terry. Terry handed his wand over. "Put all that back where it belongs, if you please?"

Brian gave a cough but didn't say anything at Terry's warning look.

Harry studied Terry's wand, seemingly oblivious to the interaction. After a brief study he went over to the stepladder, holding the thick wand in both hands, and gave it a tap before pointing the wand sternly to the spot where the stepladder had been sitting upright just moments ago. After a few seconds of nothing the stepladder gave a little jerk and then slowly lifted itself upright to slide over and come to a stop.

Brian gave Terry a startled look, but Terry watched Harry with a proud smile.

Harry climbed up on the first step of the ladder and turned carefully to sit down on the top one. He got a good two-handed grip on the wand again and pointed the wand out to the side and then over at the table. A few moments passed and he gave a little huff and repeated the actions again, looking very stern. Slowly the tape measure lifted itself up and floated gently back over to its spot on the table. Harry looked expectantly at Terry.

"Very good." He went over to pull Harry up into his arms and give him a kiss on the forehead. "Very good."

"Well." Brian shook his head in amazement. "That was…"

"Exactly why we need a real wand," John said. "And I think I know where to start. Something with a slim handle."

"…unbelievable."

Harry gave a giggle, looking over at the wall of starter wands. "And can I get it in that Smurf box?" he asked, giving Brian a bright smile. "Please?"

* * *

Terry watched as Kathy and Cameron taught Harry how to put up Christmas decorations with his new wand.

"Is it just me?" Sunny asked quietly from behind him. "Or does it seem like every time Jamie asks us about a spell and we explain it, we end up teaching it to him?"

"We do." Terry chuckled and glanced back at Sunny. "And he's definitely aware of it. Seems every time I sit down with him to help him with his magic studies, he's got four or five new questions. How he's learning about some of this stuff, I don't know. The books on magic he has are pretty basic."

"I think he's just paying a lot more attention to us than we give him credit for. Best be careful what kind of spells we use around him from now on. Laney's still quite particular about what we teach him."

Terry nodded. "I'm just glad she's finally agreed to let me teach him more defensive magic at the start of the year."

"You and me both." Sunny moved to lean against the wall opposite the doorway, smiling a little as Kathy flicked her wand and wound shining green garland around Harry's head like a crown. He giggled and held onto it with a, "It's pretty!" as she flicked the wand again to pull it free.

"Got any more clues on those gifts of his?" Terry asked quietly, keeping one eye on the room.

Sunny gave a little shrug. "I'm pretty well positive one thing he can do is sense magic. I knew he could, but I always thought it was- well, in the way children did it. Just sort of vaguely aware of it. But now I feel pretty confident in saying he's got the ability outright, and strong, too, if his awareness of magic going on around him is any indication. Might also account for why he's so quick to pick up new magic and how he can do it without using incantations or knowing any of the theory, but I'm sure there's probably more going on there, too."

"Yeah, I've been thinking that."

"John's impressed with him."

Terry grinned a little. "I definitely noticed that. And that's hard to do. Damned hard to do."

"No naughty language!" Harry called out, seemingly entirely engrossed in levitating ornaments up on a bookshelf.

Terry gave a start and Sunny laughed.

"Paying a lot more attention than we give him credit for," Sunny said with a grin. "Come on, let's go see if there's anything left to do in the dining room before Laney comes back downstairs and we both get in trouble."

Terry snorted and followed after Sunny. The dining room was pretty well festive and didn't need any more help. Sunny moved to look out the window as Terry peered into the kitchen to check the timer on the cookies.

"Damn, that smells good."

"Best watch your language."

Terry rolled his eyes.

"Going to snow again in the next few days. Shaping up to be a white Christmas. Don't get those in Florida."

"Hey, yeah, that's where you're from, isn't it?"

Sunny settled in a dining room chair with a nod.

"You going to Jamie's karate demonstration next week? You had to work last I heard."

Terry grinned. "Like I'd miss it. I switched my shift with someone else. Told them I had a family thing to do." Terry shrugged. "And, you know, he really is like family. There's just something about him that makes you want to adopt him and call him your own."

Sunny nodded. "Yes, there definitely is."

Terry snickered. "Laney would beat us with a frying pan if we tried."

"I think a spoon might be more her style. Kathy says she's dangerous with them when she gets in a mood."

Terry grinned. "I think Kathy encourages her. That woman has a strange sense of humor."

"Yeah?" Sunny gave him an amused look. "And we don't?"

"Eh." Terry shrugged. "Part and parcel. You think we'll be able to keep John this upcoming year?"

Sunny snorted. "Are you kidding? As much as he enjoys teaching at Hathorne, you'd better believe he's going to stick around here. I think the trick will be getting him to let go of Jamie once Jamie's ready for real classes."

Terry chuckled. "Yeah, but you'd better believe John's going to teach that kid everything he can to get him right on the path to Hathorne."

Sunny snorted again. "Like that'll be hard."


	6. Chapter 6

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Not mine.

Warnings & Story Info: Some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (Ygroup), OCs. Rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. Harry is: very intelligent, still a kid, powerful with limits, confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. Dumbledore dislike story, not a bash story. Will include info from all seven books.

Prequel is of a work not written yet. It focuses solely on Harry in America with no scenes or in-depth info about anyone in Britain. Harry is learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world in America. Harry will go to Hogwarts fourth year, not as a Gryffindor; he attends an elite American school until then. He moves to Britain once Sirius is freed.

Reviews: Reviews. They are yummy and delicious. I don't want to sound greedy, my lovely readers, but the more feedback I get on the story (and yes, I very much do accept constructive criticism) the better it'll be.

BETAS: Thanks go out to my beta readers Maggie, known on ffnet as "there is only you", Jynx67, and Andrea. Megan, too! Any problems remaining are entirely mine (and there probably are issues remaining as I have (in)famous epic struggles with commas).

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 06

* * *

John eased down onto the couch with a wince and stretched his bad leg out in front of him. "Damn, I'll be glad when winter's over."

"Hey, it's almost March," Cameron said cheerfully. "The evil winter cold will stop smiting you soon enough."

John gave her a look.

"Where's Jamie? Aren't you working on spells today?"

"Done for the day. Sent him out back to play."

Cameron studied him. "You look done in."

"I feel done in."

"Jamie looks very triumphant," Sunny observed mildly from the doorway. "And I notice the lesson was cut short."

"Kid got my wand away from me. He's quick on the draw and even quicker with his spells these days."

Sunny's mouth twitched. "You're a mess."

"Threw me back about four feet. Was not expecting it at all."

Cameron gave him a wide-eyed look. "Jamie hit you with a spell powerful enough to throw you back?"

"Yes."

"What spell was it?"

"Disarming spell."

"Terry only taught that to him last week."

"Well, he's obviously been practicing."

Cameron and Sunnny exchanged a look. "I keep his wand when there aren't lessons planned," Sunny explained. "Laney feels safer that way."

John stared at them. Cameron sat back and tapped her foot a few times. "Looks like someone's going to have to have a talk with the kid."

John gave a nod. "Certainly does."

"I get these premonitions occasionally," Sunny said blandly. "I think I'm getting one now. It's telling me that I'm going to be talking to Jamie about his sudden disarming ability."

"Wow." Cameron gave him a mock-amazed look. "You're good."

"That's me. Psychic. Woo."

* * *

"Jamie?"

"Mmhm."

Sunny sat down on the other side of the coffee table and studied the homework spread out on the table. Sunny noted that Harry looked almost bored as he breezed through it. "I'd like to talk to you about your lesson with Mr. John last week."

Harry looked up with concern. "Is he okay? He said he was okay. I didn't mean for him to fall back like that. I really didn't. Is he okay?"

"He's perfectly fine. And he's not upset and no one else is upset or anything. I just want to ask you about the spell you used."

His nose wrinkled in puzzlement. "Um. The disarming spell? Terry taught it to me." He smiled proudly. "Said I was pretty good with it."

"Yes, he did." Sunny knew Terry had also said Harry could get Terry's wand from him if he wasn't holding it too tightly. Nothing near as impressive as his last use of the spell. "You're pretty good with it. But I have a serious question."

Harry nodded and put down his pencil.

"Have you found a way to practice magic without a wand?"

Harry looked down at his papers, a little wide eyed. "Um."

"You're not in trouble. We just need to know."

He stared at his papers as the silence stretched and Sunny waited patiently. "I didn't mean to!" Harry suddenly burst out, looking up with even wider eyes. He shrank back a little, voice dropping. "I didn't. I promise. I really didn't. Don't be mad."

"Hey, no, I'm not mad," Sunny reassured. "It's all right. I believe you. You're not in trouble. I just need to know."

Harry fidgeted a little, looking down. "Well."

"Yes?"

"I really needed my eraser."

"Completely understandable."

"But I'd just sat down."

"I certainly know how that feels."

Harry looked up, encouraged by Sunny's soothing tone. "And I got really frustrated about needing it and not wanting to get up."

Sunny nodded.

"So I pointed my pencil at it and told it to come over or I'd be really mad about it being a meanie. And, um… it did."

"Really?"

He gave an uncertain nod. "Yeah. I'm really not in trouble? Really not at all?"

"You're really not in trouble. I promise." Sunny considered him. "Would you show me how you did it?"

"Um, okay."

Sunny moved the eraser to the other end of the table and sat back. Harry gave him a lingering uncertain look before pointing his pencil at the eraser. "Over here." The eraser gave a little tremble but didn't move. "Guess it doesn't work," Harry mumbled.

Sunny studied him thoughtfully. "Really try for me. I really want to see it, if you can do it."

Harry gave him a longer uncertain look before tapping his pencil on the table. "Over here." The eraser gave another little tremble and went still. "Guess it was just luck…"

"Hm." Sunny reached across the table to take the pencil Harry was nervously tapping and cover Harry's hand with his own. "Jamie, I promise you that I'm not mad and that no one else is mad and that we'll all be very happy to see you getting the hang of wandless magic. I absolutely promise that you will never get in trouble with us for discovering that you can do something. The only reason you'd get in trouble is if you kept something from us that we should know, or did something we told you not to do."

Harry fidgeted a little. "Are you mad I didn't tell you about the magic?"

"No, Jame, I'm not mad about that. None of us are mad about that. I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

Smiling fondly, Sunny lifted his hand to link their pinkies together. "Pinky promise."

"Really mean it?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay." Harry pulled his hand back slowly and picked up the pencil again. He glanced at Suntree for just a moment, biting his lip, and then with resolve, he tapped the pencil on the table and pointed at the eraser. "Get over here right now."

The eraser jumped over.

"Excellent! Very good. I'm impressed."

Harry gave him a relieved, proud smile. "Yeah?"

"Absolutely." Sunny gave the pencil-holding hand a warm squeeze. "Very impressed and proud."

Harry grinned for a moment and then his smile faded some. "Um…"

"Yes?"

"Well. You see." He rubbed his thumb over the writing on the pencil. "Well, I was really surprised. Because, you know, a pencil isn't a wand. I was pretty surprised. And then I remembered that you can do magic without a wand. And so I thought about it. And so I thought maybe I didn't need the pencil…"

"Ah. You tried it, then?"

"Yeah…"

"And it worked?"

"…Yeah."

Sunny chuckled and put the eraser to the side of the table again. "Let's see, then."

Harry gave him an almost nervous look before crooking his finger at the eraser and motioning it over. The eraser gave a little tremble.

"I'm not mad," Sunny reminded him. "I pinky promised, remember?"

"Yeah…" Harry pointed at the eraser again. "You, here. Now."

The eraser gave another little tremble and then slid across the table slowly. It stopped when it bumped into the pencil.

"Very impressive, very good," Sunny praised. "I'm very impressed. Good for you. And you don't feel tired?"

"Um. No."

"You've always felt tired after trying wandless magic before. Any idea why you don't feel tired now?"

"Well. Um. I thought about it. And. Well. I realized the wand is kind of, um. Well. It's a bit silly, isn't it?"

"Silly?"

"Well. Just a little."

"How?"

"Well, you already have all the magic right there in your hand, right? But you spend even more time putting it into the wand and then using it. And if you can already get it in your hand, then, well, a wand seems silly. Just a little. I mean, it helps. But I really thought about it and, well, it seems you use more magic to use a wand for just doing a little magic than if you just used the magic in your hand…"

"A wand helps focus."

Harry gave a little shrug, relaxing at Sunny's easy, curious expression. "I wasn't paying attention to the magic. But now I do. It's easier."

"Pay attention to the magic?"

"Yeah. Much easier to let it help and not just kind of force it to do stuff. It might know a better way." He gave Sunny a sudden worried look. "Is that wrong?"

Sunny smiled warmly. "No, it's not. Though I do have to ask that you not practice magic without one of us around, all right? You're not in trouble at all, it's just in case something odd happens. I love you and don't want to see something happen to you."

"Oh." Harry nudged the pencil a little. "Oh. Okay. All right. I just, you know, really like magic."

Sunny chuckled. "I guess we'll have to visit more, huh?"

Harry gave him a hopeful look. "Really?"

"Really."

He scrambled up to throw his arms around Sunny in a hug. "That'd be great! I love it when you visit. When everyone visits."

"I didn't really need that ear. Don't worry about shouting in it or anything."

Harry giggled and then pulled back to look at Sunny, expression a little uncertain again. "Did you mean that?"

"No, my ear's fine. I was being silly."

"No, I meant- did you mean about…?"

"About? Visiting?"

"Before that. Did you mean it? You really… love me?"

"Absolutely." Sunny hugged him tightly. "Absolutely and entirely. You're like a son to me."

Harry hugged him even more tightly. "I love you, too, Sunny," he whispered.

Sunny held him snugly. "Though," he murmured after a while, lightly teasing. "Considering how very old I am, I guess that makes you my grandson. Maybe even my great grandson."

Harry giggled breathily. "You're not _that_ old, Sunny."

"Just old, huh?"

Harry giggled again.

"Doesn't matter." Sunny kissed his hair. "You're still my family."

"Mine, too." Harry gripped Sunny's shirt tightly. "I love you, Suntree."

"Love you, too, Jame."

* * *

"We have ourselves a natural magic-user," Suntree said with unusual smugness.

John looked over, panting hard and rubbing his leg. "See, that would have been good of you to say before I went out there today and let him kick my ass," he grumbled.

"He didn't kick your ass."

"For a seven year old, he sure as hell did."

"He's not seven yet."

"Almost."

"Four months is not almost."

"It's almost enough," John muttered.

"And you didn't let him. Letting him implies you had a choice. Though I suppose you did have a choice when you said 'do your best' to him."

"Someone," John groaned, stretching out his leg with a heavy wince, "someone forgot to mention that he figured out wandless magic. With that much extra ability to focus, he can kick ass with a wand now. He sure as hell kicked mine."

Suntree gave him a mild look. "Oops. Poor retired Auror."

John gave him the finger. Suntree pretended not to notice.

"Christ my leg hurts." John tipped his head back and pressed the cold bottle of water against his forehead. Off the porch, the sound of scuffling continued as Terry did his best to teach Harry defensive magic that Harry kept managing to make offensive.

"Kid's going to be a hell of an Auror one day," John murmured after a little while of listening to the "Hah!"s and grunts and thuds and triumphant cries followed by giggles.

"Who said the kid will be an Auror?" Suntree murmured back.

"Eh, it's there in him. He's got the heart for it. He's got the influence all around him. Sometimes you can just tell."

"Yeah. You're probably right. Don't say anything around Laney, though. She'll flip out."

"Good woman." John pulled his leg in close with another wince. "Bit paranoid about magic, though."

"Has her reasons."

"I'm sure."

Harry let out a shrill scream of delight that left Suntree and John wincing.

"Thank God for privacy charms."

"And thank Oz."

"And Merlin, too."

Suntree gave a low chuckle.

"So. Natural magic?" John asked.

Suntree nodded, sinking down further into the plastic chair. "Natural magic-user. He was talking about paying attention to magic and listening to it and letting it help. And that's why he doesn't need incantations. He can work magic on a more intuitive level. Mind, we'll still need to teach him magic in the usual way. But we'll definitely have our work cut out for us, keeping things lively for him."

John looked out at the playground-turned-practice arena. "Not much is known about natural magic-users, and believe me, Hathorne keeps on top of that sort of stuff. A lot of people don't think it even exists."

"You know the Aurors. We collect too many oddly gifted people to ignore any possibility."

"Hm. Quite so."

"He's not even seven yet. No need to start packing him off to Hathorne tomorrow," Suntree remarked with amusement.

"No, of course not." John looked speculatively out where Terry was teaching Harry a wand movement.

* * *

"No, we don't have this sort of stuff in England," Laney said. "Or if we do, we have another name for it or something. What's a natural magic-user?"

"Probably a different term for it, or they keep it quiet," John mused. "But it's someone who naturally has a grasp of how to shape and use magic. It's why we haven't needed to teach him any theory, or even incantations. He can do things wordlessly and with intention. And now he can do it without a wand. Shaping magic with just intention is something most people can do, if they have enough background in magic, determination, focus and the maturity to understand the theory behind wordless, wandless, intention-based magic. He just has a natural grasp of it."

"It's rare," Suntree added, seeing Laney's uncertain expression. "But not extremely rare. It's kind of like child prodigies, in fact. The skills that just about anyone can learn with enough time and practice comes naturally to some people. They have to work at it, but they have something more to start with than most people."

Laney frowned a little. "This won't negatively affect his life in any way, right?"

"Absolutely not," John told her swiftly. "It actually seems to be enriching his life. He senses magic. He can work with it. He has access to a world most people can't even imagine. It definitely won't harm him, and if he stays level headed it shouldn't adversely affect him in any way."

"So this is normal but unusual?"

John shrugged. "Not really normal. It's just not abnormal. It's an incredibly special gift, is what it is."

"Do you know what metamorphmagi are?" Suntree asked.

She nodded.

"It's just another rare ability like that, you could say."

"And he'll be happy with this ability?"

"Happier than most people with magic, I expect." John chuckled a little. "I think I'm a little envious, actually."

Laney snorted. "Okay. Then I'm glad he has it."

* * *

"I have some binding stickers with me," John remarked quietly, letting Terry take his bag, leaning heavily on his cane.

"Think they're necessary?"

"Definitely. You saw the power he was pushing through that wand in the last lesson. This'll make it safer to work with him, and it'll also help him develop his fine control. If he has less power to work with he'll have to try harder to stretch what he gets. Brute magical strength has its place, but he'll go farther if he knows the delicate details."

Terry snorted.

"It's true. Where's the kid, anyway?"

"Shirley's here."

John gave Terry a rather surprised look. "Shirley? As in Shirley Bravier? I thought that was a joke."

"Apparently not. Suntree knows the most interesting of people."

"Suntree seriously got one of the best Potions Mistresses in America to come teach Jamie potions?"

"He seriously did."

"Amazing."

"They're just finishing up in the kitchen." Terry glanced around quickly and then sniggered. "Laney was rather nervous about giving up her kitchen to more potions. We may need to add a magical shed in the back for some of the more complicated magical lessons. Summer starts in just a couple weeks and if Jamie has his way, he'll be learning magic every day."

"It's an idea, certainly."

The door to the kitchen opened and Harry came out, very carefully holding a glass bottle filled with a frothy orange potion. On his heels was a middle-aged woman with a severe haircut that seemed out of place with her heart-shaped face and kindly expression.

"Remember, Mr. Featheridge, potions are an essence of magic. Come to love the sweet, subtle simmering of liquid magic and you can unlock the world."

He gave an oh-so-serious nod.

"I shall see you again next week. It's been a pleasure."

"Yes, ma'am. I really liked it. Thank you."

"Of course." She gave him a fond hair tousle and nodded to John and Terry. "I'll show myself out, Sunny dear," she called out lightly.

"All right." Suntree appeared in the living room doorway a few moments after she'd left.

Terry gave him a grinning look. "Sunny dear?"

"We're old friends," Suntree said mildly, reaching out to take Harry's jar from him and study it carefully.

"Old friends, huh?"

"Yes." He smiled down at Harry. "Excellent potion. Very good quality. You definitely have the makings to be very good at potions."

Harry beamed.

"So," John said, "before we start out lesson today I have some binding stickers with me." He motioned Harry to follow him into the living room. Terry trailed after with the bag.

"What are binding stickers?"

"They look like regular stickers." John sank down onto the couch and gestured for his bag. "But they have magic on them." He pulled a slim case from his bag. "You may have noticed that wands require a certain amount of contact with skin and that certain areas of the wand absorb and give off more magic than others."

Harry nodded.

"Binding stickers go in those special places and they help reduce the amount of magic going into or coming out of the wand, depending on where you put them. There're a lot of reasons for the stickers. Sometimes a child gets a wand from a parent or has to get a real wand and not a starter wand. The stickers limit the power until they can handle greater power. Or sometimes an adult needs to limit the power for certain kinds of spell casting, or teachers want to limit the power of a wand temporarily for a certain kind of class work."

"Is that why you have them?" Harry perked up. "Because of something really neat we'll be working on, Mr. John?"

John chuckled. "Not necessarily something really neat today. I'd like you to use the stickers and keep them there for whatever we work on, unless I say it's okay to remove them. Or one of your other teachers, of course. Ever since you discovered the feel of your magic and started using wandless magic with ease, your wanded magic has gotten much more powerful. And that's perfectly fine. But I think you might be using sheer magical power now where you could be using less power and paying more attention to the details of a spell. If we cut off some of the power you have to use, you'll have to pay attention to the actual spells. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded.

"Good." He opened the case and held it out to Harry. "They're pretty much all the same in how much they'll restrict, so choose eight stickers and we'll see how that works."

Harry took the case eagerly and wasted no time in spreading them out on the coffee table to study. There were stickers of all kinds: cars, cats, birds, fish, trees, flowers, unicorns, clouds, rainbows, frogs, dinosaurs, robots, potion bottles, wands, cauldrons, stars…!

"Wow…"

"Quite a lot, isn't there?"

"Tons."

"Take your time."

"'Kay."

John chuckled and sat back. Harry very carefully sorted through all the stickers and took the time to arrange them in similar groups. Some of them he put right back in the case with barely a second glance, others he set aside and studied hard with great seriousness.

"If only the leaders of the world put this much thought into the decisions they made," Suntree remarked as he sat down on the couch beside Harry. Harry glanced over and stuck out his tongue. "Oh no, not the tongue. I have been wounded. I am destroyed. The power of the tongue, it has defeated me."

"Whatever."

"So casually dismissed, my woe has been. The same, never shall I be."

Harry poked Suntree's leg. "Stop being weird."

"Fine one to talk there, little one."

"I'll sneeze on you."

"I bet you would."

"Shh. Stop distracting me. Honestly."

"You're spending far too much time around Cam."

Harry stuck out his tongue again and added a poke to it for good measure. "So there."

Suntree chuckled and let Harry continue to sort in peace.

"Okay," Harry said at long last, dumping the rest of the stickers back in the case. "I've got twelve. Just in case I need more." He spread his selection out with a proud, delighted smile, the four extra set off to the side in a definite way. Suntree and John leaned forward to study the stickers.

John gave a little cough after looking them over several times. "Quite sure?"

"Uh huh."

"Really?"

"Um." Harry looked at his stickers. "Yeah. Why?"

"Just- Making sure."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

John glanced over at Suntree over the top of Harry's head and Suntree just smiled. "They're great."

"Yeah? Yeah!" Harry grinned back at him. "You don't think the unicorn and dragon look bad together, though, right?"

"No, not at all," Suntree told him. "Very appropriate. And it's a black dragon. White unicorn and black dragon, looks very good together."

Harry beamed. "I thought so, too."

"Does the, um, butterfly and snake go together?" John asked after a moment.

"Don't be silly. They won't be on the same side of the wand."

"Ah. Yes. I see."

"The snake'll go with the rainbow kitty with wings."

"Ah."

Harry nodded. "And the butterfly will go with the lightning bolt."

"I see."

"And the wand and the cauldron go together?" Suntree asked.

Harry nodded brightly. "And for the extra stickers, the book and the flower go together and the frog and the dragonfly go together!"

"Well." John gave the stickers one last look. "Shall I show you where to put them?"

"Oh yes." Harry bounced up and dashed over to the bookcase where his Smurf wandbox was sitting. He trotted back over with it and sat down to pull out his wand. He gave John an expectant look.

"All right. Now, along here and here, down there and over there."

With a serious, determined expression, Harry began to carefully peel the stickers and apply them just so. When he finished, he gave the wand a flourish and looked it over with a pleased smile.

"Very good. Now, try and levitate your wandbox."

He tapped the top of his wandbox with a little flourish and then frowned when nothing happened. He frowned even more in concentration and after a few moments the box began to rise, slowly, though steadily.

"Very good. I think eight stickers will be enough for now. We'll probably make use of the others before too long so I'll put them up somewhere safe."

"All right."

"So let's test some of the spells you've already learned. And to try something new, I'm going to teach you some of the incantations to go with them."


	7. Chapter 7

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Not mine.

Warnings & Story Info: Some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (ygroup), OCs. Rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. Harry is: very intelligent, still a kid, powerful with limits, confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. Dumbledore dislike story, not a bash story. Will include info from all seven books.

Prequel is of a work not written yet. It focuses solely on Harry in America with no scenes or in-depth info about anyone in Britain. Harry is learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world in America. Harry will go to Hogwarts fourth year, not as a Gryffindor; he attends an elite American school until then. He moves to Britain once Sirius is freed.

Reviews: Reviews. They are yummy and delicious. I don't want to sound greedy, my lovely readers, but the more feedback I get on the story (and yes, I very much do accept constructive criticism) the better it'll be.

AN1: BRITPICKER – I am in great need of a very good britpicker. Someone who would see the little details, especially in word differences and things that America has that they definitely don't over there. This is Very Important! Because Harry is basically American, a lot of what goes on not in America needs to be very accurate. I also need someone who can work fairly fast, since I'm writing this at a fairly fast pace. Thank you very much.

BETAS: Thanks go out to my beta readers Maggie, known on ffnet as "there is only you", Jynx67, and Andrea. Megan, too! Any problems remaining are entirely mine (and there probably are issues remaining as I have (in)famous epic struggles with commas).

THANKS: Thank you Webweaver for spotting an error in Chapter 2. I have re-uploaded the chapter with the necessary omission. Thank you very much for being a picky reader and spotting an inconsistency. I greatly appreciate that as a writer. (Just as long as it does not involve the layout of a house). As for your comment about the character Susan who appears in the second chapter and then seems to all but disappear – characters will be introduced that won't serve any purpose beyond a specific set of scenes. We can just assume that Susan and her friends kept in touch with Laney sparingly, but for various reasons they drifted apart once Laney really settled.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 07

* * *

"How's summer treating you?"

Harry whirled around with a shout. "Terry! You're back!" Harry launched himself at Terry to give him a tight hug, giggling madly as Terry picked him up and spun them around a couple times.

"I'm glad you're so happy to see me."

"I missed you!"

"I was only gone for a month."

"I missed you!"

Terry chuckled. "I missed you, too. Traveling is fun, but traveling as a bodyguard isn't all that much fun. I definitely would've rather been back here with you."

Harry beamed.

"What have you been up to?"

"Well! Cammy and I have seen a ton of movies, and Mom says Cam's spoiling me, but personally I don't think it's possible. Mr. John and Suntree are teaching me a ton of new magic. I even had to add the last two stickers to my wand a couple weeks ago!"

"Really?"

"Yep."

"That must mean you're getting much better at fine magic."

He nodded proudly. "Mr. John says I'm better than some of the students he tutors back at the school where he teaches. Or used to teach before he came here. Did you know that? That he was a teacher at a really good school and then he agreed to come be my teacher and now he just tutors them? Isn't that awesome?"

"Completely awesome. And yeah, I'd heard that."

"And so that's what Mr. John says, that I'm even better. And they're in an actual school of magic, not just taking beginning classes." Harry grinned. "And oh, oh, oh, Sun and Cam have been teaching me some stuff like karate, but different. Like other forms of karate and stuff like that. Now that's a lot of fun. And oh! Will you be here in two weeks for my next karate thing?"

"A karate thing, huh?"

"Yeah!"

"I sure will."

"Though Suntree says that maybe I should consider another martial art next year or the year after. But he didn't say which one. He just said another one. I mean, right now everyone is teaching me a hodgepodge of butt kicking stuff." Terry snorted and Harry grinned all the more. "Yep, butt kicking stuff. Sun said I ought to find one that's better for my gymnastics."

"It's a thought. When's your next gymnastics demonstration, anyway?"

"Long time. Month away. Beginning of July, like the eighth or something. I don't pay attention to that. Mom has the calendar."

Terry smiled in fond amusement. "How're your lessons going?"

"Really great! Miss Shirley even let me work on a potion on my own. Supervised, of course. But she only had to correct me once; she just sat back and watched the rest of the time. It came out sort of funny, the potion, but she said that I did very good for someone as young as me. Well, she didn't say very good. She said a really big word I can't remember, but it meant very good, or at least that's what Miss Shirley said. I didn't recognize it. She uses lots of big words."

"That's great." He set Harry down. "What are you doing out here?"

"Digging for worms! Wanna help?"

Terry chuckled. "Why not? Sure. But let me pop into the house and talk to your mom. Sunny around?"

"Yeah. Always. Doesn't he have, like, a job or something?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

"Don't be silly. Oh, when you come out can you bring me an appley juice?"

Terry snorted. "Sure thing, kid. One appley juice coming right up." He dropped a kiss atop Harry's head. "I'll be out shortly."

"'kay!"

Terry smiled as he headed inside. He could hear sounds coming from the laundry room just off the kitchen, and that's where he found Laney, sorting out clothes with an odd expression.

Terry's mouth twitched at seeing Laney's disgruntled expression. "What's up with you?"

"That kid…"

"Yeah?"

"I just pulled several handfuls of crushed flowers from the pockets of his pants. And yesterday I found a lizard tail!"

"He's a little boy." Terry laughed.

Laney sighed. "I'm beginning to dread doing his laundry."

"It'll get worse before it gets better."

She eyed him. "Maybe I ought to make you start doing his laundry."

"Hey now," he held up his hands. "Confirmed bachelor. My idea of washing clothes is dumping the lot of them in the wash and pressing start. None of that sorting, water temperature, following tag directions and other time-wasting nonsense."

Laney looked him up and down.

"Admiring my manly physique?"

She snorted. "I'm beginning to understand why I never see you in anything but jeans and T-shirts."

"Nothing else worth wearing. Just wait 'til the kid gets older. You'll despair of seeing him in anything nicer than a button down shirt with his jeans. He might even iron the shirt first."

"Whatever."

"Just wait. But, hey, I actually have something I want to talk to you about. I'd like you to consider something. I spoke to Sunny about this and he said to talk to you. So…"

"What?"

"I think… you should consider letting Jamie have more access to the magical world."

She gave him a flat look.

"Hey, I understand your reluctance. I do. I'm not saying we throw him into the middle of anything. But, you know, maybe you could let him meet a kid around his own age? Do some normal magical kid things? There's an entire culture out there, and by the time you let him into it, he'll miss a lot of fun stuff."

"He's Harry Potter," she said just as flatly. "He wouldn't have a chance to do 'normal' anything."

"He could. With another Auror, I imagine. There are trustworthy people out there." Terry shifted a little closer, folding his arms over his chest and leaning his shoulder against the wall. "Laney, we all want to protect him. But you can't protect him forever. And like it or not, that little boy's not only a part of the magical world, he's magical. He needs the magical world and he needs other magical children around."

Laney shoved a basket of clothes at him. "Go through those pockets."

Terry took the basket, putting it down on the small table to his left to do just that. "Laney-"

"He doesn't need them right now," she interrupted. "He's only seven. Not even seven. He'll be around other magical children when he starts those classes Kathy told me about. I'll let him start when he's eight."

"Laney, he's a magical prodigy," Terry told her seriously. "He's leaps and bounds ahead of other children, children who've had magical teaching just as long as him and who are older than him. When he's eight and old enough to join those classes, he'll maybe fit into a class that only has a year or two to go before they leave for an actual magical school. That's a class full of eleven and twelve-year-olds. They might tolerate a little eight-year-old prodigy – and that's a big might – but he won't find real friends there."

Her lips tightened and she busied herself with pulling bits of broken crayon from a sock.

"And if he doesn't get to know the magical world and its culture before he goes, then he'll feel even more isolated when trying to make friends. Then add the fact he won't make any real friends outside of the magical world because he can't trust that sort of secret to others. And then on top of that, he's Harry Potter." Terry set aside a crumpled dollar bill and some quarters. Laney said nothing. "He needs to make friends. He needs to just be a magical kid."

"Maybe I should have just waited until he was eight for him to learn magic," Laney muttered, starting the washing machine with more force than necessary.

"No." Terry pushed the basket of clothes over to her. "The older a child gets, the longer the time from when they first show trainable magic, the less magical potential they show. He would still be a magical prodigy, no mistake, but he'd have learned to suppress his magic by that point, not explore it. He'd hold back. He'd have developed around average children and that's what he'd expect of himself. Can you really imagine that bright, gifted boy like that?"

Laney scowled at the clothes she was shoving into the washing machine.

"I know I certainly can't."

"…No. I can't."

"So you did the right thing. Entirely the right thing."

She gave him a sour look. "And I expect you'll say that the entirely right thing to do next will be to let him-"

"No," Terry interrupted. "I'm not going to say there's a right thing or a wrong thing. I'm just saying this is how I feel, and I happen to feel it rather strongly."

"And what makes you an expert on this, huh?"

"I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but- One of my best friends growing up was no magical prodigy, but he was damned smart. He was doing work that I was doing and he was four years younger than me. In his case, a lot of it was determined studying, but he definitely had the mind there to support it. And his parents supported him and didn't think twice about letting him just do what he wanted, seeing as how what he wanted to do was learn. Nothing wrong with that, but…" Terry studied Laney for a few moments. She was still busy shoving clothes in the washing machine and didn't appear to be listening. The way her hands faltered a little when he looked over said she was.

"Then he got to a real magical school," Terry continued with a shrug, "and found himself taking classes with kids in my age group, not his own. And he hated it there. The kids his own age made fun of him or ignored him, and the kids my age just put up with him, at best. So he wrapped himself up even more in learning. He's a research scholar now, certainly successful, but he hardly goes out, rarely talks to anyone new unless it's all business, and he's certainly not happy. I would hate to see anything like that happen to Jamie."

"What a convenient little story," Laney muttered.

Terry frowned at her. "I ran into him while I was gone. That's what made me think about Jamie and what prompted me to contact Sunny to discuss this with him." His lips thinned. "I must say I really don't appreciate you implying I made that up just to prove some sort of point."

Laney was silent as she poured laundry detergent into the machine. Finally, she sighed. "I just- right. I'm sorry. It's just… He's Harry Potter, all right? I'm just concerned. He's Harry Potter."

"So? That means other kids would find even more to resent. If nothing else, it means that he'll just have to deal with hero worship and false friends."

She closed the washing machine lid with a bang and picked up a basket full of folded laundry.

"And I have another concern…" Terry trailed off.

"What?"

"Jamie is… so much more mature than he usually acts. You can't have the understanding of magic that he has and not be more mature. And yet he acts younger." Terry hesitated.

Laney gave him a sharp look. "What?"

"I think… you might baby him a little too much." He stopped. When she didn't do more than vaguely scowl, he pushed on. "He goes to school, but he doesn't play at other children's houses. You're worried about unexpected magic use, and I can understand that, and you're worried about safety, and I can understand that, too. But- you're always hovering over him, Lane. At the playground, at gymnastics, at karate…"

"I've noticed he acts that way," she said quietly. "Acts less mature than I know he is."

"I think you should consider letting him get to know magical children. It'll help him gain independence without the worry of him showing magic or for his safety. He would be safe with any magical children he meets. We'd make sure of that."

She rubbed her forehead. "How does- how big is Harry Potter over here? I mean, how well known is he? How important is he over here?"

"Not as important as in Britain and such, but… The thing about the magical world is that the different parts, the different communities, they're more isolated from each other and more likely to share certain aspects of culture. This dark lord guy…" He shrugged. "You better believe we kept an eye on it. But he didn't strike fear into us like he did over there. We just kept an eye on him. But Harry Potter…" He smiled a little. "Harry Potter is another story."

"So what's the story?"

"Everyone likes a hero, you see. And everyone likes an unlikely hero. A dark lord is a dark lord, but a child hero is a child hero-"

"That makes no sense," Laney interrupted.

"One bad guy is the same as another bad guy. But a child hero – this amazing, miraculous, mysterious story of triumph – that has universal appeal. Magical communities all over the world recognize Harry Potter as an important figure in some way. We certainly do in America. Children aren't growing up on stories of the magical Harry Potter here, at least not like I expect they are in Britain, but they are growing up well aware of the magical Harry Potter. He's probably not as likely to get gawking and whispers and crowds of fans here. Well, not yet, at least. But he'll still get plenty of attention; he'll still have that mystique surrounding him. And maybe in a way it'll be worse over here once he's older. Worse than Britain, I mean. America has one of the largest magical populations in the world, and we have one of the most diverse. That's a lot of people from a lot of different backgrounds paying attention to him. But…"

"But?"

"I think the children here will be more accepting." He shrugged a little. "At least the younger children will. When he's older, he'll likely have to deal with the 'you're not so great' syndrome from some people. It really would be better for him to learn how to deal with other magical children before they put him on the spot for being Harry Potter."

"How- what did you have in mind?" She set the basket down again. "For him meeting other children?"

"I have a friend I work with. Yes, another friend-"

"I wasn't going to say anything."

"Right. Well, I have a friend, Elliot Moores. He's a trainee right now, specialized bodyguard training. Very trustworthy. He's from a more modern side of magical culture, even though he's from an old magical family. They live in the heart of a non-magical area, so the magic use is subtle and the family is less likely to goggle over Harry Potter, even if they figure it out. I don't intend to tell them who Jamie really is, but Elliot has a nephew a few years older than Jamie and he's used to hanging out with children who have to follow strict safety guidelines. Politicians' children and the like."

"A few years older?"

"I think it'll be good for him. Peridot – or rather Perry, he hates Peridot." Terry laughed at Laney's odd look. "Yes, his parents named him Peridot. Peridot Moonstone. Perry tells everyone his parents were hippies. It's actually quite amusing."

"Right. Well. You were saying?"

"Perry's a sharp kid. He'll likely treat Jamie like a little kid, and you know Jamie will feel the need to prove himself. I think he needs something closer to a peer to challenge him, make him act more like himself."

"It sounds like you're talking about Jamie going off to visit this other kid," she said with a hint of steel in her voice. "I don't want him traveling far away from me."

"How about Jamie visiting Sunny? He's wanted to see Sunny's place for a while."

"And this Perry kid will just happen to casually stop by while he's there?" Laney asked sarcastically.

"Nah, Elliot will stop by with Perry while Jamie's there, and Perry and Jamie can meet. Elliot and Sunny know each other. Though it seems harder every day to find someone Sunny doesn't know."

She jerked the basket off the table again. "I'll think about it," she told him shortly.

"All right."

"Don't even think about mentioning it to Jamie."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Good."

"But I'd better get out there with his apple juice. Oh, and Lane?"

She gave him a wary look. "What?"

Terry grinned. "Beware of worms in his pockets. He's out there digging for them."

* * *

"Wow…"

Suntree smiled a little. "Yeah?"

"Wow…" Harry stared around at the toy train tracks that crisscrossed Suntree's walls and ceiling. There was a bright blue train plodding along the tracks, puffing purple smoke that twinkled away into nothingness. "That's so awesome!"

"Glad you approve." Suntree tossed the old newspaper onto the coffee table. "How'd you like your first Portkey trip?"

"It was funny." He rubbed his stomach. "Like someone grabbed my stomach and dragged me around."

"Feel sick at all?"

"Nah, just funny. How's that work, anyway?"

"There's a lot of speculation about that, actually. Basically you have to imagine the world as being filled with magic, like it's all around you, like air."

"Well, yeah," Harry said absently, going over to Suntree's bookshelves to study the books with great curiosity.

Suntree gave Harry a brief intense look. That tone put him in mind of someone saying, 'Well, yeah, obviously the sky is blue; it's hard to miss.'

"And there are lines of magic that travel the world," Suntree said after a few moments, "and the lines are stronger than the magic that's just sort of there like the air. The lines can be little, little threads or trickles, or can be almost like rivers. We call them ley lines."

"Ley lines," Harry repeated. "The lines all around are ley lines. Okay."

"Magical people have a sort of subconscious magical sense of where those lines are. When someone is powerful enough to create a Portkey, they use the lines to sort of set up directions on how to get to that place, and when you use the Portkey, the magic between you and that place interacts. No one's entirely sure how you manage to move from the first point to the second, though."

Harry gave him an oddly thoughtful look. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"No one at all?"

"Just lots of theories."

"Why's it jerk on your stomach?"

"Some people say it's because it's a midway point on the body, so it sort of keeps you balanced."

"Yeah?"

"Some people say it's because of the magical energy points located on the body and what that area of the body represents. But that's a lot more theory and culture than you need to try and understand today."

Harry shrugged. "All right."

Suntree eyed him. Harry had been acting odd for a couple weeks now, and no one had quite figured out why yet. "I'm going to go make those grilled cheese sandwiches, if you're still hungry."

Harry grinned. "Yeah! I want mine with mozzarella."

"I know. Weird."

"Yeah, whatever." Harry gave him a look. "And yet you always fix one for yourself."

Suntree's mouth twitched. "You and this pointing out adult inconsistencies, it's really got to stop."

"Whatever." Harry rolled his eyes and crouched to look at some of the books on the bottom shelves.

Suntree gave him one last thoughtful look before heading into the kitchen.

"Hey, you've got potions books," Harry called out.

"Knock yourself out."

Harry glanced back at the kitchen and then pulled a couple potions books off the shelf, stacking them on the floor by his feet. After a moment, he straightened and glanced back toward the kitchen again before looking up. He gently summoned a modern history book from the very top shelf with a pulling motion and quickly flipped to the index once he had it, barely breathing as he searched the P section. He slid a finger down the listing.

Pletrilio Orphan Scandal; Plought, Candice; Pluto Square; Pneter, Salk; Potter, Harry…

"Hey, Suntree," Harry called out as casually as he could, flipping to the first of more than a few pages listed. "Can I get a yellow cheese one, too? A mozzy and a yellow?"

"Have to be difficult," Suntree called out, sounding well occupied.

"Thanks!"

"And the yellow cheese is called American."

"Yellow cheese."

Suntree sighed fondly and Harry heard the rattle of a drawer being opened and closed.

Harry flipped to the chapter "European Magical Unrest" and found the page. It looked like there was an entire section devoted to Harry Potter and someone named Lord Voldemort. Harry skimmed it as best he could, vowing to learn to speed read in the near future. Phrases jumped out and caught his attention.

Son of James Potter and Lily Potter… magical hiding from the pureblood supremacy group led by the self-titled Lord Voldemort, known as You-Know-Who and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named… bent on destroying the Potters for their opposition to his terror campaign… betrayed by a close friend of the Potters… Lord Voldemort responsible for the death of James and Lily Potter… Killing curse on the fifteen-month-old Harry Potter rebounded and is believed to have killed Lord Voldemort… left with nothing but a lightning bolt scar on his brow… Boy-Who-Lived… peace began to be restored to the magical community, though the supremacy elements remained strong… Harry Potter hidden away for his safety from Lord Voldemort's followers…

"Jamie."

Harry gave such a start he dropped the book and only a desperate reach with magic kept it from thudding on the floor. Heart pounding, he glanced back, but Suntree was still in the kitchen. He made a vague noise of curiosity, not trusting his voice.

"You want milk with your sandwich?"

Harry swallowed. "Yeah." He carefully closed the book and levitated it back into place. "Almost done?"

"Yeah."

With care, Harry gathered up the potion books at his feet and took them over to the couch before making his way into the kitchen. Suntree was just putting down a plate with two grilled cheese sandwiches on it, followed by a glass of milk. Harry settled in one of the chairs and, smiling a little, picked up the pickle on the side of the plate to munch on while the sandwiches cooled.

"I could cool your sandwiches with magic," Suntree offered as he always did, sitting down across from him with his own sandwiches and milk.

"As if I couldn't." Harry rolled his eyes. "Besides, that's cheating."

Suntree shrugged and picked up his knife and fork. Harry watched him cut his sandwich up in neat little pieces to eat.

"You're weird."

"You always say that."

"You always are."

Suntree shrugged again.

With care, Harry tested the temperature of the first sandwich and then peeled it apart with care. The yellow cheese stretched out in gooey lines between the pieces of bread, and didn't so much snap as sag. Harry nibbled carefully on one of the pieces.

"You've gotten rather quiet," Suntree remarked after watching Harry eat the first half of the sandwich.

Harry shrugged.

"Nervous?"

Harry seized on the idea and gave a nod as he reached for his milk. Suntree twitched just a little when he set the milk down, leaving smears on the glass.

"What if he doesn't like me? He's going to think I'm stupid anyway because he's ten and I'm only six."

"Seven in a month."

"Still six." He sniffed. "Like being ten is special. I'll be ten one day. Even you were ten once."

"How kind of you to notice," Suntree said dryly.

"You're welcome." Harry peeled apart his mozzarella sandwich and gave Suntree an expectant look. "Chips?"

"Quite right." Suntree flicked his wrist to summon a bag of plain potato chips from the pantry. He opened the bag and placed a careful handful on Harry's plate. "There you go."

Harry nodded in satisfaction and began to carefully pile chips onto the nearer half of the mozzarella sandwich. "He's probably going to treat me like a baby."

"Then you'll just have to show him that you're not a baby."

"He'll still think I'm a baby."

"Just wait and see."

Harry shrugged and carefully put the second half of the mozzarella sandwich atop the first. He flattened the sandwich with a hand, crunching up the chips trapped between them.

"I'm not important," Harry said casually after taking a satisfied bite of his chip and cheese sandwich.

"You are to your family."

"You know what I mean. I'm not someone's son or nephew or something."

"No, you're not. Not in the way you mean. But I told him I'm a friend of your family and you're like a nephew to me."

Harry gave him an amused look. "Yeah?"

"What I told him."

Harry took another bite of his sandwich, considering that closely. "Does that mean I get to call you Uncle Suntree?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

Suntree snorted. "If you like."

"All right, Uncle Suntree."

"Imp."

"Don't be silly, Uncle Suntree."

Suntree raised his brows. "You deny being an imp?"

"I'm clearly better than a mere imp, Uncle Suntree."

Suntree snorted again. "Finish your sandwich."

Harry turned back to his sandwich with a smile.

"How do you like the potion books?"

Harry shrugged.

"Probably a bit advanced for you."

"Yeah, probably."

"I'll see if I can find something more appropriate."

"All right."

Harry finished his sandwich with much satisfied crunching and trailed after Suntree into the living room once he'd washed his hands. He went to sit on the couch while Suntree hummed and hmmed over the potion books he had.

"I think they might be too advanced. I'll have to see about getting you some more suited to your level of experience."

Harry nodded.

"And-" Suntree stopped at the doorbell. "Ready?"

"It's not like they'll magically just vanish and not be waiting outside if I say no."

"Good attitude to take." Suntree went over to answer the door.

A man about Terry's age was standing there, dark brown eyes and hair, with a sharp nose and a cheerful smile. He was wearing a dark blue uniform of some kind. He had his hand on the shoulder of a boy who looked mostly bored. Harry studied them curiously, but tried not to appear too interested.

"Elliot, Perry, glad you could drop by."

"No problem." Elliot gave the boy a nudge as Suntree stood back and the boy made his way in, a backpack slung over his shoulder. He was clearly used to the puffing train circling around the room, or at least unimpressed by it, as he didn't spare it a glance. He looked instead at Harry and rolled his eyes a little.

"Suntree and I will be in the study, boys," Elliot said after basic introductions and 'how are you?' questions were finished.

"Yes, Uncle Elliot."

Harry gave a nod. Suntree gave him a reassuring smile before following Elliot into the room just off the living room. They left the door half open. Harry looked back to Perry and Perry gave him that condescending smile Harry had been expecting.

"So. New to the magical world, huh?"

Harry gave a half nod and then a shrug.

Perry looked him up and down again. "I thought you were six."

"Almost seven."

"You look four."

"For your information, I'm just a month shy of seven, thank you."

"Sure." Perry plopped down in one of the worn armchairs and dropped his backpack at his feet. "So." His mouth twitched. "They warn you about the dragons?"

Harry made his way around the coffee table to sit on the couch, already beginning to feel irritated by the superior, knowing look Perry was giving him. He gave Perry an innocent look in return.

"On their reserves around the world, you mean?" he asked, folding his hands in his lap. "Not domesticated or tamed, but capable of being worked with by highly trained professionals? One of the hardest secrets of the magical world to keep because of their great size, range of territory and inherent resistance to spells? What about them?"

"Well, what about the vampires?" Perry asked, frowning a moment before adopting the superior, knowing look again. "And werewolves?"

"Both classified as magical beings, right alongside elves, goblins and even human beings, just to name a few? Both changed, not afflicted, by a certain type of transformative magic that's best known for working against the will of the person and creating beings more like beasts than people? Both groups belonging to flourishing communities of their kind within America? Though, you know, really, the majority of vampires and werewolves in America were created by choice or born. And people say that it's a curse they have, but technically a curse is related to charms and their changes are largely transfiguration based, like I said. But anyway, what about them?"

"Oh. Well. Well." He looked at a loss for several moments and then smirked a little. "Did they warn you about Quodpot?"

Harry resisted rolling his eyes. "Warn me about Quodpot? It's a game played on brooms with a quod being passed around by the players. There's eleven on each side, players that is, and they're trying to get the quod into the pot at the other team's end of the field before it explodes. I really don't think that necessitates a warning."

Perry gave him a somewhat startled look. "Oh."

"Personally, I think Quidditch sounds a bit more exciting. Though exploding quods would be awesome to see!"

Perry grinned a little. "They are. Uncle Elliot took me to my first game a couple years ago, and I try to go to as many as I can now. They're a lot of fun." He gave a dismissive shrug. "Quidditch is interesting too. Even though nothing explodes."

Harry gave a shrug of his own. "There's a lot more going on in Quidditch. Quodpot is sort of a great big exploding game of hot potato."

"Huh. I never thought of it that way." Perry pulled his backpack up onto his lap to open it up.

"What'cha got?" Harry asked curiously, leaning forward.

"School work," he said a little gloomily. "Summer homework."

"Magic school work?"

"Yeah."

"That's not work. That's fun."

The superior look came back. It was starting to get on Harry's nerves. "Oh, yes, you say that now. You've probably just helped make potions, maybe you've made things float. Maybe even on your own," he added generously, though he looked doubtful. "Wait until you actually have to do real work."

"Like what?"

"Like this." He thumped a book down on the table. Harry leaned forward to see that it was Basic Primer 2: Transfiguration. Harry had been using it lately, now that they were trying to teach him theory. They were using the first three of the series, in fact.

"You won't find it all that much fun when you're working with this stuff, just you wait."

"Oh, I don't know," Harry remarked casually, sitting back. "The section on likeness transfiguration is pretty interesting, isn't it? I thought it was."

Perry gave him a startled look. "What?"

"Likeness transfiguration," Harry repeated. "One of the theories of magic-action for transfiguration. Kador's Rules of Transfigurative Similarities? Like, you have the obvious stuff: objects of similar function, objects of similar shape, objects of similar structure. And then you have the not so obvious stuff, like objects of similar chemical composition…" Harry gave an encouraging nod. "Page… 196, I believe. 190-something, at least." He waved his fingers at the book on the table and the pages began to flip. "196… oh, here it is. 198." Harry gave another encouraging nod.

Perry continued to give him a baffled look.

"Objects of similar likeness," Harry prompted. "They look the same but are actually different. Like shoes. See? Objects of similar function would be any sort of shoes: sneakers or boots or sandals or something. Right? Because they all go on your feet and protect them. Do you see?"

Perry gave a slow, uncertain nod.

"So objects of structure would be, like, all sneakers. Or almost all. Because they're pretty much put together in the same way. They lace up the front, they have the same shape, they have all the same pieces in the same place, and that sort of thing. But, like, boots wouldn't work because you have the girl boots with the big heels and then you have the really awesome Auror boots and you have rain boots and all sorts of other boots. They're the same function and the same shape, mostly, but in actual structure they're different. Right?"

"Um. Okay?"

Harry considered him. "You are getting this, right? It's not that difficult."

"I'm getting it," Perry muttered.

"Good. So objects of similar shape would be like I said with the boots. Or, like, a lot of flip flops but not all sandals. Pretty obvious. And chemical composition would be all leather shoes that don't have any laces or anything like that. That's one of the hardest to satisfy because any time you start dealing with transfiguration that actually demands you understand the composition of something, chances are it's going to be a very intricate transfiguration. You have to make sure the dye is the same, the thread is the same, the leather is the same, any padding or decoration all has to be the same. You see?"

Perry stared at him. "How do you know all that?"

"Mr. John. He's my tutor."

"I thought you were six!"

Harry raised his brows at him. "So? And almost seven. In just almost a month. So I'm only sort of mostly six and only for a month and then I'm not six. I'm seven."

Perry continued to stare at him. Harry scratched an itch on his nose.

"So the point is that the more qualities in common two objects have, the easier it is to transfigure one to the other. Likeness transfiguration. Some people think it's a little pointless to focus so heavily on that when it's more likely you have two completely different objects. And mind, when I say you have two objects or things or anything like that, I don't mean you actually physically necessarily have two things. One of them is having in potential, or the thing you're hoping to have when you complete the transfiguration."

"I…"

"You know, maybe you should have a visual. Some people have better luck with visuals. Let's try a visual demonstration. Come here."

"What? For what?"

"Sorry, no, not you." Harry grabbed his shoes as they flew at him from where they'd been sitting by the door. "My shoes. So." He put them on the coffee table.

"Did you just summon those?"

"Yeah."

"All by yourself?"

Harry raised his brows again. "Obviously."

"Without a wand?"

"Obviously."

"And… you just wandlessly, wordlessly summoned your shoes to you."

"Sure."

"But you're six!"

"Yeah… We covered that, like, five minutes ago. Keep up." Harry gave his shoes a shake. "See, basic sneakers. And for the demonstration…" Harry slid off the couch. "Sun?"

Suntree appeared in the doorway of his study. "Moon? Stars? Asteroids?"

"Ha ha." Harry rolled his eyes. "I need some sneakers and I don't want to break you by moving something an inch more to the left than it should be. So I need some sneakers."

"Ha ha." He made a twisting jerk motion with his hand.

"And while I'm thinking of it, got any dress shoes or boots or something?"

He made another twisting jerk motion. A pair of sneakers came floating lazily down the hallway, followed shortly thereafter by a pair of dress boots. "Just what are you doing?"

"Magic."

"Wow, really, like really real magic?"

"Don't be a jerk, Sunny. No one likes a jerk." Harry took the shoes over to the coffee table and set them down before taking his seat again.

Elliot joined Suntree in the doorway as Suntree snorted. "You better not be making my shoes pink or something, kid."

"What a great idea!" Harry waved his hands over both pairs of shoes and they turned lurid pink. With a smirk and another wave they sprouted pink bows.

"I'm never making you another yellow cheese sandwich again."

"Eek." Harry waved his hands again and they returned to normal. "Better?"

"Yes."

"Damn. Darn, I mean. Darn. Completely darn. Sunny? I need two more pairs of shoes… It won't really matter, I know, but I've just left a transfigurative imprint and I'd rather not have that tainting the demonstration. Not that anyone but a Transfiguration Master or Adept would notice… Never mind, these shoes still work."

"Wait, what? A transfigurative imprint?" Perry looked at him in confusion.

"Oh, sorry!" Harry smiled at Perry. "Transfigurative imprints are- See, when you use magic on an object to get it to do something you leave a trace of magic on it, even after it's stopped or changed back. The longer something was changed, the longer the trace remains, but it will eventually fade if you don't use magic on the object again. But while the trace remains on something it's easier to use the same type of magic on the object, and it's even easier to do the same spell again. See?"

"Okay…"

"Technically, since I'm going to show you how similar likeness works in transfiguration, I probably shouldn't be using something that's going to respond a little better to transfigurative magic. Technically. But like I said, no one would notice but an expert, so I'm not going to bother with it."

"This should be interesting. Mind if Elliot and I watch, Jame?"

"Course not." Harry studied the shoes on the coffee table, all lined up in a neat row. "As you can see we have three pairs of rather different shoes here. We have my absolutely awesome Smurf sneakers. Ooh and ah in wonder. Just teasing. But no, really, you can if you want."

"Get on with it, kid," Suntree told him with amusement.

Harry shot him a hurt look. "Anyway. Blue Smurfy sneakers. And then we have some boots and some boring white sneakers. They're all shoes, so that's one likeness. They're also all closed shoes, no open toes or anything like that. They all have laces. I know this seems silly, but it's important to know just what you have to know just what you don't have. So we have laces and we have tongues and they're all flat on the ground with no extra heel." Harry picked up the boot to study it. "But I'm sure you know that."

"Sure, know that," Perry muttered.

"Great. Now it's quite obvious that the boot is different from the sneaker in a lot of ways. The shape is different, the sneakers come up around the ankle, but the boot doesn't, oddly enough, and the size is different, too. And quite interestingly, the general function is the same, but the specific function is quite different. They're both designed as footwear, but the boots look like dress shoes, so the intended use would be different, and that can actually affect the process, believe it or not. Let's see…"

"What's the point of this?" Perry asked, slouching back in the chair.

"This." Harry rested a hand on top one of his sneakers and concentrated. Slowly it transfigured into a small version of Suntree's sneaker. "See? Whereas this…" Harry rested his hand on top of his other sneaker and stared hard at Suntree's boot. Much more slowly and with more effort the sneaker changed. "That." He looked up. Perry was staring wide eyed at him. "And, yeah, much more concentration, much harder to do, more magic to change it. And there's the theory behind likeness transfiguration."

"Very impressive," Elliot murmured.

Harry gave him a bright smile. "Thanks." He looked back to Perry. "Now, the point to learning all that is to learn how to spot similar elements in more difficult transfigurations. The more similarity you can find, the easier it is to coax a wordless change in something. You'd be surprised how much difference it makes."

"I see…"

"And-"

"I see," Perry interrupted. "I get it. I got it. I had it. No need to give me some sort of lecture like I'm three."

Harry studied him. He really didn't think Perry 'got it', let alone had 'had it' before now, but he let it go. "Great then. Ooh, hey, is that a Quodpot magazine in your backpack?"

Perry gave him a strange look as he pulled it out of the backpack. "Yeah…"

Harry leaned forward eagerly. "Can I see it?"

"Uh, sure." He held it out and Harry grabbed it. He pushed the shoes aside and then just gave them a shove. "Go back where you belong. Go on. But hey, Smurfy shoes, over there to Sunny."

"Why are you attacking me with your shoes?"

"Change them back." Harry gave him a wide-eyed, hopeful look. "Please? Pretty please? Because, seriously, the Smurfy shoes are special. I don't want to hurt them awesome blue guys."

"All right."

"Awesome!" Harry spread the magazine open on the coffee table and leaned in to stare in delight at the moving images of people on brooms, exploding quods and of waving, grinning teams.

"You act like you've never seen a moving picture before." Harry glanced up. Perry was staring at him in complete bafflement.

"I must have done," Harry said absently, looking back down. "If I've looked at the transfig. primer book. But I've never seen a sport magazine like this; just some more boring ones." He looked up with a bit of a frown. "Mom doesn't like brooms much, so she doesn't want me to get any more interested in them than I already am."

"Ah. Non-magical?" Perry gave a nod, expression settling back into the wise, knowing one of before, but this time far less superior. "I know a lot of non-magical people don't."

Harry shrugged. "Ooh, I like this broom…"

Perry shifted to join him on the couch, leaning over the magazine. "Oh, yeah. That's a Cosmic Flash. Newest broom on the market. Only pros can get them right now."

"It looks _awesome_."

Perry gave him a far friendlier, relaxed grin. "It is. Here, let me show some of the others…"


	8. Chapter 8

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Not mine.

Warnings & Story Info: Some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (Ygroup), OCs. Rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. Harry is: very intelligent, still a kid, powerful with limits, confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. Dumbledore dislike story, not a bash story. Will include info from all seven books.

Prequel is of a work not written yet. It focuses solely on Harry in America with no scenes or in-depth info about anyone in Britain. Harry is learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world in America. Harry will go to Hogwarts fourth year, not as a Gryffindor; he attends an elite American school until then. He moves to Britain once Sirius is freed.

Reviews: Are yummy and delicious. I do not hold chapters' hostage. That said, I do write faster if people say nice things and let me know how much they enjoy the story. But on the other hand, it seems the faster I post, the less people review. This is puzzling.

AN: BRITPICKER – I am in great need of a very good britpicker! Very detail orientated, especially word differences, even more so in cultural differences. Very Important! Harry is basically American, therefore differences will be more obvious. Be picky, I'll love you. Also, I need someone who can work fairly fast, since I'm writing this at a fairly fast pace. Thank you so very much.

AN2: I have a rough draft layout of their house on my Ygroup for those interested.

BETAS: Thanks to my beta readers Jynx67 and Andrea. Megan, too! All problems remaining - drop them at my door.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change. Made a word change within chapter.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 08

* * *

"I felt really weird turning in that paper, now that I know the real truth behind it. Mr. John told me all about it." Harry climbed up the path with ease, occasionally stopping to pick up an interesting bit of stone or twig. "But of course, I couldn't turn in a normal school paper and say, 'Oh, but it was really caused by magic.' Sometimes second grade can be so boring."

"You realize that you still have to learn non-magical things when you go to a magical secondary school, right?" Cameron asked.

"Well, yeah." Harry stopped to study a bug on a branch as Terry and Suntree caught up to them. "But then I'd be learning the real history of stuff. But you know, it's really amazing how much stuff non-magical people just miss."

"People are remarkably good at explaining things that don't make sense to them. Or outright ignoring them. Even magical people."

Harry snorted.

Suntree looked at them with amusement as he passed them. He stopped ahead, leaning back against a tree and looking out at the mountains around them. "Why don't we stop here for a ten minute break?"

"Aw, is Sunny getting tired?"

Suntree gave Cameron a look. "You may not have noticed, Cameron, but there's a beautiful scene to your right. You should try to appreciate it for a few minutes. I realize it's not on a television or movie screen-"

"Oh, shut up." She rolled her eyes and pulled out a water bottle from her own small backpack.

"Can I go looking for stones?" Harry asked.

Suntree glanced down at the bracelet on Harry's wrist and then over to Terry. Terry gave him a mild look in return and looked to Harry, nodding. "Don't go far."

"Okay!" He turned and scampered away down a side path. Terry chuckled as he watched him go.

"That kid has entirely too much energy."

Cameron snorted.

A comfortable silence settled over them. From somewhere just out of sight, they could hear the unmistakable climbing and poking about that was Harry looking for stones.

"Jamie!" Terry called out after a little over ten minutes had passed. "Time to move on."

Harry didn't answer, but they could hear him moving back toward them.

"So, are we ready to get moving again…?" Cameron trailed off, freezing for a moment before sliding her hand very slowly towards her wand. Terry glanced over and began to reach for his as well.

"Hi!" Harry grinned at them, seemingly oblivious. "I met a new friend. I wanted you to meet him."

"That's a rattlesnake, isn't it?" Cameron breathed, fingers curling around her wand.

"Yes, it is," Terry breathed back.

"I found him under a rock," Harry told them brightly, looking at the snake curled around his neck and shoulders. The snake seemed to be watching them. "I'm calling him Rocky."

"Rocky?" Terry asked after a slight pause, eyeing the snake carefully, waiting for just the right opportunity.

"Yep! Because he likes being underneath cool rocks when the sun is really hot and likes being on top of warm rocks when it's cooler out." He gave the snake a little pet. "They don't have really real names, you know. They just know what other snakes feel like through their senses. So, Rocky!"

"Jamie," Cameron said slowly. "Sweetie. You have a rattlesnake around your neck."

"I know."

The snake wound a little closer and turned its head towards Harry as it began to hiss. Harry stared back at it without fear.

Cameron and Terry tightened their grip on their wands and exchanged a glance, bringing their wands to the ready, but Suntree watched, wandless, with a speculative expression.

"Stand down," he told the other two quietly. "Put your wands away."

Cameron looked over in shock. "What?" she muttered out of the corner of her mouth, looking back to the hissing snake. "He's got a rattlesnake around his neck!"

"And here I thought it was a strange scarf. I'm so glad you cleared that up for me."

"Suntree!"

Harry looked up at them with a frown. "Is something wrong?"

"No, Jame," Suntree said with a smile. "Though Cameron appears to be uneasy with snakes. Could you tell your friend its time for you to go? We still have a couple of miles' hike to get back to the car."

"Yeah, sure." Harry looked back at the snake and began to hiss quietly.

Cameron dropped her wand in shock. Terry stared. Suntree checked the time and calmly took one last drink of water before putting it back in his backpack. Harry wandered back into the surrounding forest to take the snake back to its rock, oblivious.

"He was hissing." Cameron looked at Suntree, wide-eyed. "He was hissing. Hissing."

"Yes."

"Did you know? Did you know he was a snake-speaker?"

"No."

"Then how…?"

"I've met a few snake-speakers in my time. There's something in their expression when they listen to the hissing of a snake that says clearly they're hearing something you're not."

"He's a snake-speaker."

"Huh." Terry put his wand away slowly. "So… I'm not telling Laney."

"Neither am I," Cameron said quickly.

"Please, calm down; let's not fall all over ourselves to volunteer to talk to Laney." Suntree adjusted the strap on his backpack.

Cameron slowly put her wand away. "They have Views about that stuff across the pond, Sunny. I bet she's got them, too."

"I do believe I detect a capital 'V' in views."

"And someone's going to need to talk to the kid," Terry remarked.

Cameron busied herself with the important task of redoing her ponytail. Terry began to double check that his wand was holstered properly.

"Oh, I must insist," Suntree remarked as he picked up a promising looking rock at the edge of the trail. "I would be ever so grateful if you would allow me the privilege."

"If you really want to, of course. Go right ahead."

"You are the very picture of graciousness, Cameron."

"Okay!" Harry called out a dozen seconds or so before he appeared again. "Rocky's back to his rock now."

"Excellent." Suntree held out the pebble. "I have a stone for you."

"Ooh, thank you." Harry examined it with a pleased smile and carefully pocketed it.

"Ready?"

"Yup!"

"Cameron, Terry, go scout ahead for us. Dangerous things, well marked mountain trails." Suntree pulled out another bottle of water from his bag and held it out to Harry. "You, hydrate."

"Yes, Sir!" Harry seized the bottle with a grin and took a long drink from it as Cameron and Terry quickly started down the trail.

"I'd like to talk to you about something, Jamie."

"Okay."

"Did you know that not everyone can talk to snakes?"

"Huh. Really? Well, obviously you'd have to be magical. I thought maybe it was a type of magic all people could learn or might learn or would learn eventually. Or most people, at least."

"Actually, no. It's a very rare gift. It's called Parseltongue, and a speaker is a Parselmouth. In America, we tend to use the phrases snake-language or snake-speech and snake-speaker or snake-talker. It's one of those things that individual people have different feelings on, but as a whole, the general attitude towards it is that it's just another unique gift. In America, at least. Unfortunately, Europe, and especially the UK and surrounding areas, is not of the same mind as America. Parselmouth is seen as a sure indicator of an evil witch or wizard, and thus, people are wary, afraid and suspicious of speakers. Whereas other cultures hold it to be an almost godly gift, and their speakers are nearly revered."

Harry sipped on the water as he considered that. "So… Parseltongue… I'm a Parselmouth."

"Yes."

"And it's seen pretty differently by people all over the world. Some places treat it like a really special gift and Parselmouths are really special people. Other places think it's a mark of an evil witch or wizard and Parselmouths are looked at with suspicion."

"Exactly."

"And the UK is one of those places?"

"I'm afraid so. They've had some difficulties in the past with Parselmouths doing some rather evil things."

"Like who?"

"Salazar Slytherin is said to be the most famous of them all. But that's a history lesson for another day. John could cover the subject in better detail."

Harry gave him a fleeting sidelong look. "Anyone else? Bad, famous Parselmouths? I guess that'd make them infamous."

"Some others, yes. Probably better covered in European history. But you understand about Parselmouths?"

"Yeah. What's America think of them? In more detail, I mean."

"What America thinks of everything else, really. America has one of the largest magical communities in the world, and possibly one of the most diverse. You have old traditionalists and other similar types that believe it's a mark of evil. You have people who just see it as a rare magical gift, quite like Metamorphmagi. You have people who won't see it as anything or care one way or another. You'll even have a small minority that sees it as something to be revered."

Harry nodded.

"You know how we've spoken to you about how you're a natural or innate magic-user? This is something else to be treated like that. Most people won't feel strongly one way or another, but you should only explicitly demonstrate your ability around those you trust."

"Okay." Harry took another long drink of water and then choked a little, giving Suntree a wide-eyed, worried look. "I'm from England."

"Britain, but yes."

"Mom's from England!"

"Britain, actually. But yes. She may have some prejudice about Parselmouths, trace-magical though she is. I'll speak to her. Unless you'd rather I not; if you'd rather speak to her yourself."

"No! I mean, please do. Um. You'll be able to explain all that stuff. And everything. Please."

"Of course," Suntree told him soothingly. "And I'm quite sure your mother will understand." Suntree suddenly grinned. "You're only moderately evil, after all."

Harry giggled.

"Though the giggle does make you more adorably evil, I'm afraid."

"Hey!"

"Sorry. Only stating the facts."

Harry pouted.

"Well, let's see if you can redeem your moderate. Let's hear a maniacal laugh."

"Huh? What's that?"

"It's- Well, nice to see my instructions have been so well followed. But since you two have seen fit to wander back – Cameron, demonstrate a maniacal laugh for me."

Cameron gave him a startled look. "A what?"

"A maniacal laugh." Terry snorted. "You know – Mwahahahaha!"

Harry gave Terry a wide-eyed stare.

Terry gave a little cough. "Maniacal laughter. Absolutely necessary for evil villains."

"I rather advise against taking over the world," Suntree remarked mildly. "Jamie would have to stop you."

Harry gave a little squeak. "Me?"

"Of course." Suntree's mouth twitched. "He would melt at your utter cuteness."

"Hmph." Harry crossed his arms with a scowl. The look was somewhat ruined by him clutching the water bottle in one hand. "I'm not cute."

"Cute and adorable."

Harry 'hmphed' again.

"Well, let's hear your maniacal laughter. Though…" Suntree adopted a pondering look. "Perhaps you're too cute for that."

"I am not. Here, I'll show you." Harry cleared his throat and gave it a try.

Cameron stared at him before grinning. "That was so cute!"

Harry gave her a horrified look. Terry came over to put a friendly arm around Harry's shoulders.

"Come over here," he said, leading Harry a respectable distance away. He knelt down and gave Harry a serious look. "Now, the important thing to keep in mind is that maniacal laughter should come from your chest, so it's deep and rumbling. Give me your best monster rar."

Harry cleared his throat again and closed his eyes. "Rar."

"Better than that. Come on. All out monster rar. I know you can do it."

"Rar!"

"Give me one more."

"RAR!"

"Excellent!" He nodded with approval that made Harry beam. "Now. Let's try that maniacal laughter again. Make it rar."

Harry gave a determined nod and concentrated hard for a handful of moments. "Mwhahaha."

"Almost there. You had it at the end. Here, give me your water. Now try it again."

"Mwhahaha!"

"One more try!"

"Mwhahahahaha!"

"Very frightful. Now go show those two that you're the monster."

Harry gave another determined nod and marched resolutely over to Suntree and Cameron. He eyed them. He crossed his arms over his chest. He 'Mwahahahahaed!' them.

"Hey, that's pretty good," Cameron said with a grin.

"That's right," Harry said smugly.

"Very frightening," Suntree agreed. "Are you done with your water?"

"Oh, no, hold on." Harry claimed his water from Terry and drained the last of it, then gave the bottle a frown.

"You know the spell for that now."

"Yeah, but I have trouble with it. Sometimes I get me wet. And it's a bottle. It's got a _tiny_ little opening."

Cameron snorted and flicked her fingers at the bottle of water. It filled up and over with water. Harry scowled at Cameron and then at his soaked shirt.

"Oops."

"You meant to do that."

Cameron just grinned at him. Harry 'hmphed' and sipped at his bottle of water.

"You never laughed manicly," Harry pointed out.

"Maniacally," Suntree corrected.

"She still never laughed it."

"She still never tried it. Sounds better."

Harry rolled his eyes at Suntree. "Whatever. She never laughed."

"No, thanks, not for me," Cameron said airily. "I'll sound like a chipmunk."

Harry giggled. "Do it! Do it!"

She sighed and did so. And sounded like a chipmunk. Harry giggled all the more.

Suntree smiled slightly. "Your chipmunk-ness amuses me."

Cameron gave him a glare. "Let's hear your maniacal laughter, Grandpa."

He gave her a serene smile before bursting out into truly maniacal laughter.

Harry stared at him, completely wide-eyed. "Whoa."

Terry rubbed his nose. "Yeah. I think Sunny's going to take over the world."

"Certainly not. Entirely too much paperwork."

* * *

"Ooh, Terry, stop. It's that preview again."

Terry snorted but stopped flicking through the channels. Harry looked up from his homework and giggled a little.

"I so have to see that movie," Cameron sighed as she watched the preview. "I so need to find someone to see it with."

"Don't even think about looking at me. I'll be busy for the rest of August. And September. In fact, it's safe to say I'll be busy for however long this movie is playing. I don't see what's so great about this Dirty Dancing movie, anyway."

"Swayze's a hunk. End of story."

Terry rolled his eyes.

"He's kind of great," Harry agreed with another giggle.

Terry rolled his eyes again.

Cameron smirked. "Never let it be said that the kid doesn't have great taste."

* * *

"So!" Harry plopped down in the free chair and looked at the expectant faces of Cameron, Suntree and Terry. "All three of you are watching me while Mom and Kathy are out doing stuff?"

"More like I came by to watch you and these two just dropped by, as usual," Cameron said with a snort.

"And how long will Mom and Kathy be out?"

"Probably until after dinner. I think Laney said she wanted to try out that seafood place."

"So!"

Suntree raised his brows a little. "Yes?"

Harry sat back and tried to appear confident, keeping his attention more on Cameron. "Voldemort."

He'd chosen right. Suntree didn't react at all and Terry simply blinked, but Cameron gave a little start and looked worried for a moment.

Suntree gave him a mildly puzzled look. "Jamie?"

"Harry Potter," Harry said stubbornly. "Boy Who Lived. Killing curse. Not as well known over here, though, right?" Harry glanced at Terry for a moment. "Just well known enough."

Cameron looked over at Suntree with slightly wide eyes. Suntree was watching Harry.

"We had hoped to tell you when you were a little older," Suntree finally said, matter of factly.

"Yeah? Well, I'm older now. I'm older enough."

"It's not our place to tell you without your mother's knowledge and consent."

"I'd been getting a feeling lately about it all, you know," Harry continued as if he hadn't heard. "You'd all exchange looks. Little half comments that you didn't think I'd heard. Everyone being so careful about me being around magical stuff, especially magical people."

Suntree sat back. "May I ask how you came to know the terms you used earlier? And it's Voldemort, by the way. Not Voldeymort."

"Voldeymort, Voldemort." Harry made a dismissive gesture. "I found out."

"We're quite aware of that. How?"

"I just did."

The three exchanged a glance.

"You're doing it right now." Harry gave them an irritated look. "Those looks."

"We really can't say anything about it without your mother."

"Fine." Harry slumped back into the chair. "But we _will_ talk."

Suntree gave a nod.

Harry looked away from them, fidgeting with a stray thread on the arm of the chair. After a few indecisive moments he pushed to his feet and buried his hands in his pockets, biting his lower lip.

"Jamie?"

"You work." He pointed a finger at Terry. "But you're here an awful lot." He looked at Cameron. "You're here even more." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Suntree. "And you're here almost all the time!"

"Yes?"

"But you're all active Aurors. You said so! So- if you're working, and you're active, and you're here…" He tightened his arms over his chest. "Am I the assignment?"

The three exchanged a glance. Harry bit his lip.

"So that's it, huh? That's what it is. That's why you're always here. This is a Harry Potter thing. Fine. Whatever. Fine." He turned to stalk out of the room.

"Jamie-"

"Don't!"

He darted up the stairs, almost tripping halfway up, and slammed the door to his room before throwing himself on his bed. Without glancing back he flung his hand towards the door, concentrating as hard as he could on not wanting them to come in, and then he curled up around his tootsie roll pillow.

Downstairs, Suntree sat back with a sigh.

"Should we call Laney and Kathy back?" Cameron asked worriedly.

"Let me try and talk to him." Suntree stood up and calmly made his way upstairs.

He stopped to consider Harry's closed door and then knocked lightly on it. After a fair bit of time had passed with no answer he knocked a little harder. "Jamie?"

"Go away."

"Jamie." He let out a slow, silent breath. "Jame, we should talk about this."

"Go away!"

He tried the knob. He wasn't surprised to find it locked. "Jamie, you're right-"

"Go! Away!"

With a sigh, Suntree tried an unlocking charm on the door. He was surprised when it slid right off, almost like he'd tried to unlock a wall. Shaking his head, he concentrated and jabbed a finger at the door, focusing his unlocking charm directly at the knob. He was already trying to turn the knob before he realized he hadn't heard the click of the door unlocking.

"Jame?"

"Go away!"

Suntree tapped his fingers against his thigh and then bowed to the inevitable and pulled out his wand. He didn't bother to start small, he used words, motion and concentration from the very start. He was stumped when even his strongest wanded try failed.

"Jamie-"

"No!"

"We need to talk-"

"NO!"

Suntree put his wand away and started back down the stairs, stopping halfway and calling down. "Terry?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you come up here, please? And bring your wand."

A handful of moments later Terry started up the stairs with a puzzled frown. "My wand?"

"Yes."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, per se." Suntree followed him up and motioned him to the door. "Open Jamie's door, please."

Terry gave him an odd look, but he was smart enough to pull his wand out for his first try. He tried the strongest unlocking charm he could think of for his second try and stared dumbfounded at the still locked door.

"He put this up?"

"He did."

"I thought you had his wand?"

"I do."

"He put this up wandless?"

"He did."

"Er…" Terry put his wand away and scratched his cheek. "Well. I think we should probably call Kathy and Laney back."

"Let me see if I can talk to him first."

"I thought you already did that."

"No. I just tried the door. You can go back downstairs now."

Terry glanced at him, but shrugged and headed back downstairs with one last look over his shoulder. Suntree waited until he heard Terry's footsteps move away from the stairs. He knocked on the door again, but wasn't surprised to get no answer.

"Jamie." Suntree sighed silently again and sat down cross-legged in front of the door, his side to the door. He tapped his thigh with his fingertips. The silence continued in the room, not even a sniffle.

"Yes," Suntree said at last. "You're right, Jame. You're an assignment. But at the same time, you're not an assignment. It's a little complicated." He paused, waiting to see if Harry would demand some sort of explanation. The silence just stretched.

"To understand all this, Jame, you have to understand who Harry Potter is. You have to understand what Harry Potter is. This isn't something I should tell you without Laney's permission." He paused a few moments. "Jamie? Jame? How much have you learned about Harry Potter? Maybe you already know enough that I can explain a little."

Suntree waited; the silence continued. He was just beginning to worry that there was a silencing charm up he hadn't noticed and all his words had been wasted on the door when he heard a little sniff from somewhere deep in the room. Suntree rested the side of his head against the door as he thought.

"You obviously know about Lord Voldemort," he said after a while. He leaned back against the edge of the doorjamb. "And you said Boy Who Lived and killing curse, so that sounds like you know how you're connected to Lord Voldemort. Do you?"

There was another little sniffle from inside the room.

"All right, Jame." Suntree gathered his thoughts. "James and Lily Potter had the misfortune of living during a time of bad things. An evil time. This Lord Voldemort believed that purebloods were worth more than halfbloods, and definitely worth more than those born from non-magical parents. You've covered the terms pureblood and halfblood, haven't you? Over here, purebloods are sort of like our old traditionals, people from a completely magical background and think they're somehow better because of it. And halfblood is pretty much anyone magical not from one of the other two backgrounds. Does that make sense?"

There was a shifting inside the room and a rustle of cloth.

"This Lord Voldemort was definitely not a nice person. Evil. And he had people who believed the same and followed his orders. They were trying to take over the magical world, or at least the magical UK. Mainly through violence and fear, killing anyone who opposed them. Your parents were good, kind people, as I'm sure you already know. They definitely opposed him and were part of a group of people who were opposing him, standing up for themselves and for their home. Voldemort didn't like this and doubly targeted anyone opposing him. That's the situation you were born in the middle of, Jame, and something about you made Voldemort target your family even more. So your family went into hiding, aided by very powerful hiding magic."

There was another little shift and sniffle from the room. Suntree thought the noises sounded just a little bit closer.

"If you know about that and you know about the killing curse, then you know that someone, a friend, betrayed your family to Voldemort. The type of magic used to hide you depended on one person knowing the hidden location, and for some reason that person betrayed your family. Voldemort visited your home one evening when you were just over a year old, and yes, as you know, your parents were killed. And then he tried to kill you with, yes, a killing curse. But something went wrong. It bounced off of you and hit him instead. You lived and he was killed by his own curse, and you became known as the Boy Who Lived, savior of the Wizarding world. Did you know all that?"

Another little sniffle came from somewhere in the room, just a little bit closer. After another moment there was second sniffle and then silence.

"And just like that you were the most famous person in their Wizarding world. You freed them from Voldemort's terror. But you were just a little boy, and there were a lot of those followers still around, scared now that Voldemort was gone, mad at you, and they had no idea what to do. Your safety was a very real concern for a lot of people over there. So someone made a choice to put you with your mother's non-magical family. You were hidden away in the non-magical world, surrounded by powerful wards and protections. And – how much has Laney told you about how you came to live with her?"

The silence continued in the room.

"Laney wasn't looked at kindly by European Wizarding society because she was born a squib. That's a very shameful thing there. So she left to live in the non-magical world with no intention of returning. And then she met your mother, and despite Laney trying her hardest to keep her distance, she couldn't help but be friends with Lily. Very good friends. Good enough that when you were born, Lily made Laney your godmother and Laney wholeheartedly agreed to it, even though they couldn't keep in contact when your family went into hiding. Laney had no reason to keep in contact with the magical world once Lily went into hiding, so she disappeared back into the non-magical world, and because of that, she didn't learn of your parents' deaths or about your situation for a while."

Suntree sat up a little and listened closely, ear close to the door. He could just make out the suggestion of little shivering breaths and they sounded closer.

"When Laney found out what had happened, she put a lot of effort into finding your mother's family. She knew what Lily had said about her sister, that she hated magic and anything magical, believing magic to be evil and unnatural. So Laney found them and found you, and when she saw they didn't love you and weren't taking care of you, she simply took you. She fought for you in non-magical court, even though it was the magical world that was trying to keep you with Lily's sister. And it's important to understand this; she had to fight hard to get you. Your mother's sister didn't want you and would have gladly never seen you again, but there were magical people determined to keep you safe in the way they thought was best. Do you understand?"

Suntree waited. There was a small little sound from the room. It didn't sound like a yes or no or anything, just a sound, Suntree took heart from it.

"She's told me before that she was certain she was going to lose you at any time, for days on end. She was terrified. But she kept trying, hoping, and in the end, she gained custody of you. And she thought that was it, but it wasn't. She tried to set up a life for you over there, but the magical people felt they had the right to keep an eye on you. They were pretty much spying on you and Laney, and they never even told her they'd keep an eye on things. She noticed it and even moved several times, but they always found her. So she visited America and eventually moved here, as you certainly know. And this is where we come into this, the USAS."

There was another little rustle of movement from within the room. It sounded closer.

"The magical people in Britain contacted the magical government here about her visit," Suntree continued a little more quietly. "They said they were concerned about your safety here, and they were even more concerned that Laney wasn't planning to return with you. They wanted the magical government to help them in some way, but as you can imagine, we didn't take kindly to almost being told to do something. The government offered to help Laney set up a new life here, and she immediately took them up on it. She was less concerned with the possible real threats at this point and was more concerned with losing you to those who were trying to protect you. That's why you both changed your name and how the USAS got involved. And it also made Laney want to avoid magic even more than before, at least until it wasn't possible to avoid it."

"When I could do magic," Harry said quietly from within the room. The voice was practically on the other side of the door.

"When you could do magic," Suntree acknowledged, smiling a little. "And you know that Laney loves you and loves that you have magic and that you're happy. She just wanted to get away from it for a while, to try and live normally. Especially since she knew that one day you wouldn't have the option. You're very much are and will always be Jamie Featheridge, but just as much you're Harry Potter. And Harry Potter is known over here, yes, just as Harry Potter is known all over the world, but people would be more low-key about it over here."

Suntree smiled a little more when he noticed the shadow under the door, like it was being blocked by something right next to the door.

"She befriended Kathy as just a friend, and Kathy kept an eye on you as just a friend. A friend who happened to be an Auror, but just a friend. Then when you showed your magic, Kathy and Laney discussed it and decided there was no reason to stop you from learning magic. That brought up the issue of security. Laney was very concerned about who would teach you, and in the end, it was decided that the Aurors would be the most trustworthy. But you know your mother; she wasn't satisfied with that. She'd come to trust the Aurors, but people are people and someone would eventually say something to someone else and there'd be some sort of problem. She didn't want that. So the only way we could work with you was if we had assignment level secrecy attached to our being here. But you're not technically a real assignment."

There was silence from the other side of the door and Suntree let it stretch.

"So… how is it not a real assignment?" Harry asked quietly at last, his voice right from the other side of the door.

"The other two aren't getting paid."

"But you are?"

"As a security consultant, yes. That's part of why I'm around so much. I'm updating your wards and making adjustments to other things. But for anything related to spending time with you and having fun with you, definitely not."

"Any other reason it's not a real assignment?" Harry asked after some audible fidgeting.

"We're not reporting anything back to our superiors, and we're not writing anything down or filing any paperwork or anything like that. It's not really an assignment; it's just a… special consideration requiring assignment level security."

"Just like being under a secrecy contract?" Harry asked. "But the assignment secrecy stuff just covers everything anyway and people are already okay with agreeing to it?"

Suntree gave the door a proud smile. "Very good. Exactly that. A very good way to explain it."

"So… I'm not really an assignment?"

"No, not really. You're just the sweet angel-"

"I'm not a sweet angel," Harry grumped, as Suntree knew he would.

Suntree's mouth twitched. "Fine. You're just the grumpy angel we spend time with because we care for you."

"So not an assignment?"

"No, not an assignment."

"Um…"

"Yes?"

"Will it ever be?"

"Maybe one day. But if it does become an assignment, that won't change that we're important to each other. It won't change that we're doing it because we want to. It'll just mean that we're finally teaching you things that you wouldn't be able to learn from other people, or that we're giving you more defensive training."

"Terry teaches me defensive type stuff now…"

"Terry's a special case," Suntree said with a bit of amusement. "He's not under the same secrecy contract that we are because he's already under a really tight secrecy contract. He has enough of the right kind of rank to get away with doing it a little."

"Oh."

"But the rest of us have to be a little more careful."

"…Why didn't anyone tell me who I really was?" Harry asked in a small voice after a handful of seconds.

"We wanted you to be happy. We wanted you to grow up and feel normal. That's always been very important to Laney, and we feel the same way. Laney wanted to start to tell you things slowly sometime next year, probably when you were closer to eight. So you would have been told, hopefully well before you found out in some other way. It appears that the best laid plans… Ah well."

There was a slight pause. "I listened to Mom and Terry talking about something I shouldn't have…" Harry admitted very softly.

"Ah. I see."

"Not on purpose," Harry said quickly, defensively. "At least, more accidentally and then on purpose, but it was accidentally because that happened first. Terry went in to talk to her and he didn't tell me it was private and I wanted to come in and grab something and then I heard them talking about me and so I just stayed by the door to make sure it wasn't important and then I heard what they were talking about and-"

"Breathe," Suntree interrupted kindly. "You're not in trouble. I would have done the same thing and I'm old enough to know better."

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely. I'm an old, old Auror-"

"You're not that old," Harry interrupted.

"How kind of you. But as I was saying, I've been an Auror for a long time. You learn to listen to things and pay attention. Strictly speaking, eavesdropping is not polite and shouldn't be done. That should be true, even for an Auror, when it comes to friends and family. But it's a habit you get into. I won't tell you not to do it, but I will caution you that if you do it's important to remember two things. Absolutely don't get caught and don't react to the information."

Harry was silent for a few moments before murmuring a quiet, "Okay."

"I don't suppose you'd unlock the door and let me in?"

"Why didn't you just do that?"

"To be honest with you, I can't unlock it. Neither could Terry."

"…Whoa. Really?"

"Really."

"But I didn't even have my wand!"

Suntree chuckled. "Well, you were upset. Emotion driven magic is always very strong compared to other magic. That's how accidental, untrained magic happens, after all. And that's why we believe in training children when they start having stable, identifiable accidental magic."

"Yeah, I know." Suntree could hear the eye roll in his voice.

"Good. So unlock the door, please. And we'll go downstairs and I'll make you a grilled cheese sandwich. We can talk once you feel a little better."

"I'm not hungry."

"You will be once you start to eat. Magic strong enough to lock the door so I can't get in, that can drain someone not used to it."

"Oh. Okay." After a handful of moments there was a quiet click and the door eased open. Harry peered down at him, clutching his tootsie roll pillow, his face tear stained and looking surprised. "What are you doing on the floor?"

"Sitting. Help me up?"

"Help you up? You're huge. I can't help you up."

"So much for Superboy, huh?" Suntree pushed to his feet and scooped Harry up in his arms, ignoring Harry's dirty look. "Come on then, let's go downstairs and get you fed, and then we'll talk."


	9. Chapter 9

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Not mine.

Warnings & Story Info: Some violence, profanity, SLASH, sexual content (Ygroup), OCs. Rest assured this story is about Harry and revolves around Harry. Harry is: very intelligent, still a kid, powerful with limits, confident, outspoken, opinionated and complex. Dumbledore dislike story, not a bash story. Will include info from all seven books.

Prequel is of a work not written yet. It focuses solely on Harry in America with no scenes or in-depth info about anyone in Britain. Harry is learning new ways of doing magic and living in a very different magical world in America. Harry will go to Hogwarts fourth year, not as a Gryffindor; he attends an elite American school until then. He moves to Britain once Sirius is freed.

Reviews: yummy and delicious. Reviews equal mental cheesecake equal motivation equal writing faster. On the other hand, it seems the faster I post, the less people review. This is puzzling.

AN: BRITPICKER – I am in great need of a very good britpicker! Very detail orientated, especially word differences, even more so in cultural differences. Very Important! Harry is basically American, therefore differences will be more obvious. Be picky, I'll love you. Also, I need someone who can work fairly fast, since I'm writing this at a fairly fast pace. Thank you so very much.

AN2: I will begin to post REVIEW RESPONSES on my Ygroup, seeing as how ffnet doesn't allow AN chapters and I don't want to clutter up my profile. If you have a concern, comment or question that seems like it'll warrant a response, that's where you would find it.

Review Response: A review was given recently that I "really over estimate a 7 year old's cognizant ability" and that Harry is acting more like a mature teenager than someone his age. I appreciate that someone brought this up and I would like to address this in brief here. I readily admit that I embellish some of Harry's understanding, behaviors and intelligence. On the other hand, much of how Harry acts, speaks and interacts with people is actually based off of an eight-year-old child that I know.

Shadow Lighthawk – I know I sent you that email (and I do hope you got that), but I just wanted to thank you again for your lengthy, thoughtful and well written review. Looking at your review always makes me want to write more. I look forward to seeing what you have to say in the future.

BETAS: Thanks to my beta readers Jynx67 and Andrea. Megan, too! All problems remaining - drop them at my door.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 09

* * *

"Hey, I'm going to make - what on earth is all this?"

John grinned at Laney over the top of the box. "Books. For Jamie."

"I can see that much." She set down the wooden stirring spoon she was holding and picked up one of the books. "The Compendium of Basic Magic Theory? Useful Spells for Everyday Problems? The Science of Myth and Magic? What's all this?"

"Well, for one thing, we're trying to give Jamie a larger look at magical culture without him having to actually experience it yet. Experience and observation are a must, but at this point there's a lot to learn just from looking through books and magazines."

"What's another thing?"

"There's also a lot of spells here. We want him to get a little more familiar with the range and capabilities of magic, just in general. It's not something you can really teach, and it's not something he has the luxury of learning from observation and experience, not right now. So, reading material. Ought to keep him out of trouble."

"Or put him in more," Laney muttered.

John chuckled. "He's a surprisingly responsible young man when it comes to magic. I'm not really worried about leaving these with him." He grinned a little. "See, he knows if he does something he shouldn't with magic, we stop teaching him. And he very much doesn't want that. I wish my students had half his enthusiasm for learning back when I was teaching."

"It's easy when you make everything a great big game," Laney said dryly, putting down a book on magical herbs.

"He's seven." John shrugged. "Magic is fun. And I have to admit, he has a connection to magic most don't. I don't know how much that might actually influence the way he learns and does magic, but I can't imagine it not influencing it."

"In any case," Laney looked through a few more books, "we can't keep these books in the house. He has friends over that don't know about magic."

"Don't worry about that. Suntree is upstairs right now making some adjustments to Jamie's dresser."

"I see. So that's why Suntree asked if I minded him expanding Jamie's drawers with a bit of magic."

"Just a little bit of expansion inside all of the drawers, nothing very noticeable. The bottom drawer he'll be expanding quite a lot, but he'll also be putting a no-no on it." At Laney's puzzled look he explained, "A notice-me-not charm, so people won't pay it any attention. The books should fit neatly inside and leave room for more."

Laney shook her head. "Magic…"

"Wonderful stuff."

Laney rolled her eyes, putting down the last book she was holding and picking up the wooden spoon. "Anyway, I was thinking-"

"Better watch out for that," Suntree interrupted as he came into the room, one hand in his pocket and the other holding something. "That new fangled thinking stuff. Won't catch me doing it. Incidentally, I found that shoe you were looking for the other day. It was in Jamie's dresser." He held out a black high heel shoe, the very tip of the heel held between two fingers.

Laney snagged it and rolled her eyes. "Honestly. It's not as if you're going to start wearing make up and checking out guys because you handle a high heeled shoe."

"Ah well," Suntree remarked mildly. "I had hoped to explain away my sudden fascination with Terry's ass, but it's not to be."

There was a thud from the dining room and a handful of moments later Terry looked into the room with wide eyes. "What the hell?"

"Just checking out your ass, Terry," Suntree said absently as he studied one of the books in the box. "Nothing to be concerned about."

Terry stared at him. "The hell?"

"The next person who says a naughty word will get smacked with this spoon," Laney threatened, holding the spoon up in warning.

"A naughty word," Suntree said innocently.

Laney smacked him on the arm with it. "No one likes a smart aleck."

"Hey, that kind of hurt."

"Good. Remember that. The next person to step out of line will see the back of this spoon."

"Right." John eyed the spoon with amusement and looked at Suntree. Suntree was still rubbing his arm. "You came in for a reason, Lane?"

"I was going to say that I'm making spaghetti tonight."

Terry perked up. "Ooh. Am I invited? You make it so much better than I do."

"That's because your spaghetti comes frozen and you put it in the microwave."

"See? So much better."

"But it occurred to me to also ask, well…" She glanced around at them. "Well, Jamie's rather attached to everyone, and it's just us… Did anyone want to have Thanksgiving dinner with us?"

"Well, I'm not sure-"

"Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!" Harry came barreling into the room and stopped just short of running into the back of the couch, bouncing up and down excitedly. "Say yes!"

"Where did you come from?"

"Doesn't matter! Say yes!"

"No, really, where on earth did you come from?" Suntree insisted.

"Sink. Say yes!"

"Ah- What?"

"I was under the sink! Say yes!"

"What were you doing under the sink?"

"Sink listening! Say yes!"

Suntree gave him a rather puzzled look. "You were what?"

"Sink listening! Listening to the water going down in the sink! Say yes!"

"Why were you sink listening?"

"Because it's fun! It gurgles! Say yes!"

"But-"

"For Merlin's sake, Suntree, say yes!" Terry snapped.

"Fine, yes."

Harry bounced even more. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"But why were you sink listening?"

Harry shrugged. "I was under there looking for my marbles because I thought I put them there last week when I had to find a scrub brush while I was holding my marbles because I spilled something and so that's where I thought they were but they weren't, but that's okay because while I was down there the door closed and then Mom came in and-"

"Breathe," Laney interrupted, mouth twitching.

Harry took a deep breath. "And Mom came in and turned the sink on and I realized that it was all gurgley and awesome sounding. So I listened for a while. And then I saw an interesting spider web. I'd used a light spell to be able to see if my marbles were under the sink, and it caught the spider web, so I sat there and watched that for a while to see if there were any spiders around. But there weren't. And now I'm here."

"So you are." Terry hit him with a cleaning charm. "I thought you looked dusty."

Harry giggled and then gave Terry a look. "You! Say yes, too!"

"Yes, certainly. Sure beats Thanksgiving at the Auror cafeteria."

"Cafeteria food for Thanksgiving." Laney shook her head. "I don't blame you."

"Oh, no, the food is amazing. The main headquarters has restaurants and real places to eat and all of the holiday meals are just amazing. But, you know, its headquarters. On Thanksgiving. Feels a little bit too much like being at work."

Harry gave John an expectant look.

"Sorry, kid. I've got family expecting me."

Harry frowned and shrugged. "Oh well." He brightened again. "We still got to ask-"

"Still have to ask," Suntree corrected.

"-Cammy!"

"And actually, Cameron mentioned to me a few days ago that her mother is expecting her home." Suntree gave him a little smile. "Sorry, kid."

He pouted.

"Maybe she'll be able to stop by for a while."

"Hey, yeah, maybe!"

"Probably will," Terry remarked as Harry skipped out of the room. "Better than listening to her mom go on and on about how an Auror isn't a job for a good girl. I really don't think that woman's happy unless she's bitching at- ow!"

Laney wagged her spoon at him. "And there's more where that came from."

* * *

"Awesome Oz! Mom! That awesome show! Mom! Come look!"

Laney sighed from the kitchen. "I do hope you remember not to use those sorts of phrases at school."

"Oh Mom." Harry shook his head, exasperated. "But look! This is way cool!"

"And you're spending far too much time with Cam these days," Laney muttered, focusing on the cartoon. She raised her brows. "What on earth…?"

"Isn't it awesome?!"

"They're… large fighting turtles…"

"They're ninjas," Harry said primly. "Teenage mutant ninja turtles. Heroes in a half shell. They have turtle power. They're hip."

"Whatever you say, kid."

"Aren't they just awesome, Mom? Aren't they? I want to be a ninja turtle when I grow up."

"Good luck with that."

"And the show will start in just a couple weeks! I'm so there! So Ozzin'!"

"If possible, I think magical slang is even stranger than non-magical."

"Oh Mom."

* * *

Harry stared wide eyed as Kathy flicked her wand this way and that, setting the kitchen in cooking motion. Sauces flowed, knifes chopped, spoons stirred and Kathy relaxed casually at the counter.

"I don't know," Laney said with some doubt. "It feels like cheating. Not real cooking."

"I'm still doing the work; I'm just doing it with magic."

"But it still doesn't seem the same."

Suntree poked his head into the kitchen. "Hey, ladies. And child. Sorry I'm late. But I come bearing baked macaroni and cheese."

Harry squeaked and jumped down from his perch on the counter. "Yes! The mac'n'cheese! Yes!"

"I hadn't realized you cooked," Kathy said with interest as Suntree came in to put the dish out of the way.

Suntree shrugged. "I can do a little here and there. Jamie, would you apply another heating charm to the dish?"

"I'm gonna need a wand for that." Suntree handed Harry his wand and then lifted him up to reach. Just a couple of light wand taps later and Harry was wriggling to get down. "I wanna help cook!"

"How about you, Sunny?" Kathy grinned. "Want to lend your cooking genius to Thanksgiving?"

"Oh yeah, that's me, a mad dervish in the kitchen."

Harry giggled. "That's not really an answer."

"We'll take care of the mashed potatoes."

Harry let out a delighted shout and looked eagerly to Suntree. Laney sat back to watch.

"It's strange watching all this magic," Laney said after a while of just watching things happen in a whirlwind around her. "Even stranger to not be cooking."

"You cook a lot, Mom," Harry pointed out, holding Suntree's wand steady as he mixed the mashed potatoes with magic and Suntree sprinkled in garlic. "It's a holiday. Sit back and enjoy not cooking."

"And not cleaning," Kathy said with a grin. "Jamie and I will be doing that."

Harry made a face.

"With magic."

"Yay!"

Laney rolled her eyes.

"Hey all."

Harry turned from the potatoes with a grin. "Terry!" He jumped down from the counter and ran over to give Terry's waist a tight hug. Terry ruffled his hair with a chuckle.

Suntree stared, startled that the wand continued to hold steady and mix even without Harry there holding it. "Kathy," he murmured as Harry babbled on to Terry and helped him unpack the pie and cake he'd brought.

"Hm?"

"Look at this."

Kathy glanced over and her eyes widened. "No way."

Suntree gave the wand a little nudge. It stayed right where it was. "Interesting." He turned and caught Terry's eye and nodded towards the wand. Terry raised a brow briefly, but looked back to Harry as Harry giggled in his ear.

"These look fresh," Laney commented, looking the desserts over. "What store is open on Thanksgiving?"

"Well, with magic you wouldn't necessarily need a store to be open. But there are magical stores open today. That's where I picked these up."

"Ah."

"Suntree made his famous mac'n'cheese," Harry told Terry with a grin.

"I wouldn't say famous. Perhaps just respectably well known. Of good reputation."

"Sooo good." Harry went back over to Suntree, and with some help settled on the counter again. He casually took hold of the wand and went back to holding it, making little circular motions. The stirring never faltered.

"The house smells great," Terry remarked. "And it looks like there's going to be leftovers for days."

"That's what happens when my plans for Thanksgiving meet Kathy's plans for Thanksgiving," Laney said dryly. "Then Suntree shows up with even more food, and Cam stopped by earlier bringing us another dish, as well."

"She said it's her cousin's amazing green bean casserole," Harry said with a grin, "that four people made for her family Thanksgiving, much to everyone's exasperation. So she brought one by for us. It smells really good."

"Cam said there'd be about twelve people at her mom's for Thanksgiving, but four big dishes of casserole would be a bit much, even for twelve."

"More happy for us, then," Terry said cheerfully.

"My super psychic senses are acting up again." Suntree finished adding the garlic and left Harry stirring as he went to wash his hands. "My super psychic senses tell me that we'll be seeing a lot more of Terry for as long as the leftovers stay left."

"Amazing gift you have there, Suntree." Terry grinned. "You may, in fact, be right."

"You know, I've just realized something." Laney gave Suntree and Terry a look. "I've just realized that at some point people stopped bothering to knock and I never even noticed."

Terry grinned unrepentantly and Suntree shrugged.

"Say 'just come in' one too many times and people decide to start doing it," Terry said.

"Quite so," Suntree agreed.

"I don't really mind it. Weirdly enough." Laney shrugged a little. "Just hadn't noticed it before."

"It's cuz-" Harry began.

"Because," Suntree corrected.

"It's because they're family." Harry nodded in a final way.

"In that case, Terry can go set the table."

Terry grumbled.

"Hey, be glad you won't be a part of the clean up crew," Laney told him. "Now get to it. Before you meet the back of my spoon."

"Are you still on about that?"

"You'd better believe it, mister. It gets results."

With another grumble Terry got up to collect the appropriate dishes.

"Ooh! Suntree! Kathy! Will you teach me how to clean my room with magic?"

Suntree sent a sidelong glance at Laney and then looked back to Harry. "How about this? You prove you can keep your room clean without magic for three months and then we'll show you a couple of spells to help out."

Harry pouted.

"Or you can just continue to do it without magic," Laney pointed out.

Harry sighed. "Fine."

* * *

Harry gave Suntree and Cam a smug look. "I've changed my mind about you teaching me those cleaning spells for my room."

Cam snorted as she directed the garland loops over the windows with several small wand movements. "Way to go for the subtle there."

Suntree gave Cam a look. "Did you teach him?"

"Me? What? No. That's a laugh. I clean about as well as Terry cooks."

"Taught myself," Harry told them proudly.

"Really now?" Suntree put down the tree lights he was untangling. "How about we head upstairs and you show me?"

"Sure!" Harry bounded up the stairs.

When Suntree joined him he was standing in the middle of the room holding a big fat pencil. Suntree made a curious sound and Harry shrugged.

"Helps me focus a little for some of it. It's almost as good as my wand."

As he watched Harry point the pencil around the room and direct complex cleaning spells, Suntree reflected that with as many binding stickers they had on Harry's wand now, the wand probably was only somewhat better than a regular pencil.

"Very good," Suntree said once Harry finished his admittedly impressive demonstration. "I don't recall you having that many books with that much detail on cleaning magic."

"I had to make some of it up," Harry informed him idly as he put the pencil back on his desk.

Suntree considered him. "Jamie, do you find the stuff we're teaching you to be challenging enough?"

"Well, some of it. Some of it's kind of easy."

"Let us know when something's easy for you."

"All right."

"And I think its time that John started to cover more theory with you."

Harry perked up a little. "Really? Some of that's really neat."

"I think we'll add more lessons and homework, too."

"Yeah? That could be pretty cool, too."

"Definitely. Come on, let's get back to decorating."

Harry bounced excitedly out of the room. Suntree followed a little more calmly, glancing back at the perfectly clean room. He only hoped by overloading the already full magical lessons that Harry wouldn't have time to get into trouble by trying new spells on his own.

* * *

"Laney-"

"It still feels like December, doesn't it?" Laney interrupted, looking out the kitchen window to where Cam and Terry were building an exceptionally bad snowman with Harry.

Suntree snorted. "December was only last week."

"Still." She looked back to Suntree. "You were saying?"

"Jamie wants to learn more from us." He smiled fondly. "He somehow got the idea that the Aurors had all the ninja turtle secrets and now he wants to learn."

Laney sighed a little and went to sit at the table. "He mentioned that, yes. Babbled, more like."

"Well, we're agreeable. He probably could learn more physical defense. He's already in gymnastics and karate. I think it'd be good for him."

"What could you teach him that he's not already learning?"

"We want to teach him a little more than just karate. There're a lot of other martial art styles out there, and someone with Harry's speed and energy and physical strength would find some of them more challenging."

"I have noticed he's progressing at remarkable rates." Laney gave him a half questioning look.

"It's not unknown for strong magic users to learn things faster than normal. Though only when they start learning magic at a young age. The younger the better. I suspect Jamie's one of the youngest in years."

She nodded.

"But our teaching him things like that will require this actually become a protective assignment…"

"I'd figured as much. Let me think about it."

"There are some benefits to be mentioned. When he turns eight, he'll be registered automatically as of age and needing magical instruction. You remember when Jamie had his little magic outburst in gymnastics? He's on file now, and if his name doesn't come in on the enrollment forms when he's eight, they'll come investigate. We require some form of magical education when a child registers above a certain power in this country, and he's well above that power."

"Oh."

"Another benefit worth mentioning, if there should ever be any incident involving him that would come to the attention of magical law enforcement, be it local or regional, it would automatically get transferred over to the USAS. That'll assure the highest level of security in anything involving him. Regular law enforcement has to put a lot of their closed case paperwork into public record at some point, but the USAS isn't required to."

"I can't imagine… well, that's just it, I guess. I can't imagine anything, but that doesn't mean something couldn't happen. I must say that that does make it all the more appealing."

"It'll also ensure absolute secrecy in any training he receives for gifts out of the ordinary, such as his natural ability to use magic and his Parseltongue. And any others that might manifest between now and adulthood."

Laney gave a small start. "You think there'll be more?"

"Hard to say. But it'll ensure secrecy if it does happen. It'll also ensure absolute privacy in any medical care he might receive."

She gave a little nod.

"You'll also get a real team of ward builders in here to strip this place down and put up some real heavy duty ones. Kathy's damn good, but she's no expert and she's certainly no team of experts."

Laney frowned. "Having that many people come in, though… How could we trust them?"

"If we make his case into a protective assignment the team would be under a secrecy contract not to talk about their work."

"Ah." She ran her hands through her hair. "And there're probably other reasons, I imagine? No matter. How much authority does that give the USAS over him? I don't want-"

"You'll have absolute say in anything said or done. The only change will be that the USAS may make requests of you in regard to him, but you can always say no. We have a very good Director right now, very understanding, very inclined to let things be as they'll be."

Laney sighed a little. "I expect that I'll be saying yes. Talk to me about this later, with Kathy around, all right?"

"Of course."

* * *

"Jamie, could you come in here please?"

Harry hummed agreement and wandered in from the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway and looked around the room. Laney, Kathy and Suntree were waiting expectantly. "Um. Did I do something wrong?"

"Did you?" Laney asked, raising her brows.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong," Suntree told him, glancing at Laney then back to Harry. "We'd just like to talk to you."

Harry nodded and continued into the room, stopping at the nearest free chair. He perched there and looked at them expectantly.

"Remember when we talked about our being here changing from a non-official to an official assignment?" Suntree asked.

Harry nodded.

"That means we can teach you some things that we couldn't before. Would you be interested in that? Some more dangerous spells and some more physical defense and even some basic warding theory."

Harry perked up. "Really?" He looked to Laney. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

Suntree inclined his head. "Yes."

"Yes! That sounds fun!"

"Of course it does," Kathy said with amusement.

"You'll have to work harder on things," Suntree warned. "And you have to keep your grades up in regular school."

"I will; I can."

"We're going to try and challenge you."

"Okay."

"It won't be easy."

"Good."

Kathy laughed. "You seem up for the challenge."

"I sure hope so."

"Then that's settled," Kathy said with a smile.

Harry bit his lip and looked at Laney. "You're really okay with this, Mom?"

She gave him a warm smile. "How can you grow up to be a ninja turtle if you don't learn to be a ninja first?" she teased.

He beamed and dashed over to hug her tightly.


	10. Chapter 10

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Own it? No. Unless I do. Sunntree and his merry band of Aurors and their world, my creative property. Yum.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Please?

Review Responses: Chapters 1-9 REVIEW RESPONSES on my yahoo group. Do drop in, look see, comment, discuss. I really put some work into it, too, so there's more in-depth explanations and I even drop bonus information about my world and characters into them.

Things covered in this response: Restating story notes and warning; brief comment on temporary OCs; further info about Laney being upset in chapter 2; more in-depth explanation of Sunny/Suntree use in the narration and why; how other character name changes will be handled; further info regarding Harry seeming too smart, intelligent, social; if Harry's a metamorph; if Dumbledore has people searching for Harry in the US; Some bonus information about the USAS; Harry's scar; HP and Krum as a possible pairing (as asked about in a review) and pairings in general

AN: BRITPICKER – In great need! There's going to come a point where I can't post anymore of this until I find one, and not a single person has responded. I need detail orientated, esp. word and cultural differences. Harry is basically American; therefore, differences will be more obvious. Be picky, I'll love you. And quick response time is a must. Thank you so very much.

BETAS: Thanks to my beta readers Jynx67 and Andrea. Megan, too! All problems remaining - drop them at my door.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 10

* * *

"Hey, kid, I'll be back."

Harry nodded glumly.

"It's just until the beginning of summer," Terry promised. "You won't miss having me around this summer."

"Yeah, but its February right now. So that's, like, forever from now."

"It's almost the end of February, so technically it's almost the beginning of March."

"Forever."

"It's only two and a half months, kid."

"Forever."

Terry tossed some more clothes into his suitcase. "We'll still have summer."

"I'll miss you."

Terry smiled and ruffled his hair. "I'll miss you, too," he told Harry as he grabbed another handful of clothes from his dresser and tossed them into his suitcase. He came over to pull the clothes out and fold them messily before dropping them back in. "But I can't help it, Jame. I have to go. It's part of the bodyguard job. If you ever get real bodyguards, they'll have to go wherever you go, too."

He frowned. "I won't let them."

Terry laughed. "You probably won't have much choice on that. And truthfully, for most of us Auror bodyguards, it's no big deal. Most of us don't have families. I didn't until you."

Harry gave him a little smile before sighing. "I still don't want you to go."

"I'm sorry, Jame." He stopped his second bout of messy folding and moved to sit beside Harry, pulling him into a hug. Harry leaned heavily into him. "But I'll write often. It'll only take a couple days for you to get anything I send. You can send me letters, too. And I'll probably even send you neat stuff from other places, too! Won't that be cool?"

"Rather have you."

He kissed the top of Harry's head. "Wise kid," he murmured. "But you can't, Jame. I'm sorry."

"I know. I'll just miss you. Lots."

"I know."

Harry hugged him extra tight and then scooted away. "You better get back to packing."

"Yeah, I better." Terry stood up with a wry smile. "First time you see my apartment and it's so you can spend some time with me before I go. Well, anyway, what do you think of it?"

Harry looked around the space. The bedroom, living room and kitchen were all the same room. He was sitting on the bed, pushed against the far wall, and the dresser was across from it, the back of the dresser against the back of the couch. The couch was facing the other wall and there was a TV with a huge screen against that wall. And that was it. No table, no chairs, just two stools up against the extra long kitchen counter that separated the kitchen from the rest of the space.

"Well…"

"Yeah?"

Harry studied the area again, trying to find something nice to say. There were dirty dishes stacked up by the sink and a couple of old pizza boxes beside a microwave. The old bookshelf was full of boring books and a ton of movies, but that was about it for knick-knacks or decoration.

"You have a lot of movies," Harry said at last. "And your bed is comfy."

"That bad, huh?" Terry asked with a laugh. "Sunny's place got a babbling endorsement from you, and all I get is a 'lots of movies, comfy bed'."

"Sunny's place had a train going everywhere on the walls and tons of interesting books and some crazy frog statues in his office that belched holiday music and tap dancing shoes on his dresser and-"

"Whoa, I get the point."

"This place is just sort of… empty."

"I'm busy."

"And messy."

"Busy again."

"Yeah, still… You don't have anything."

"Are you kidding? I've got, like, a thousand movies!"

"Yeah… That's just movies. You don't have any pictures and you don't have any decorations or funny little things on your shelves or anything. I mean, you gotta have some family somewhere. I thought you came from a long line of Aurors."

"That's the problem with Aurors, kid," Terry said with a little sigh, ruffling Harry's hair again. "They tend not to live as long as other people."

"Oh. I'm sorry…"

"Nah, don't apologize. Been a while. I've got a sister, but she decided to live non-magical and I haven't heard from her for years."

"Oh."

"And I'm quite a busy man. Don't have time to go shopping for knick-knacks or add any other little lifey touches."

"Lifey?"

"You heard me, kid."

"Terry, I love you, but you're boring."

"Ouch." Terry laughed and threw a wadded up shirt at Harry. "You dare call me boring."

"You are. And you're a slob."

"Double ouch."

"How long have those dishes been on the counter?"

"You're turning into Laney, kid."

"How long?"

"I don't know. Three days, maybe. I have an elf come in once a week to clean."

Harry scowled. "So you just let everything pile up?"

"Not… quite. I just don't wash stuff until I need it."

"Oh, honestly." Harry slid off the bed with an eye roll and held out a hand. "Wand?"

Terry handed it over with amusement.

Harry marched into the kitchen with it and pointed it at the sink. "Turn on," he ordered. He pointed at the soap. "Get bubbly." He pointed at the dishes. "Get clean." He pointed at the pizza boxes. "Get in the garbage." He made a wide sweeping gesture around the kitchen and jabbed the wand at a sponge sitting off to the side. "Get these counters scrubbed down. And for heaven's sake, you can turn off now." He flicked the wand at the sink and it turned off. The sponge started in on the dishes as a second one started on the counters.

Terry watched from beside the dresser with an amused look. "You have the most unorthodox way of doing magic."

"No I don't. I have a most unorthodox way of phrasing things. I do the magic almost the same." Harry opened the fridge and peered in. "Ewww. When's the last time you cleaned this out?"

"I don't know. I just shove stuff in there until I can't, and then I make room."

Harry made a noise of disgust. "You're such a boy."

Terry smothered a snicker with a cough. "Yes, well. It happens."

"And ewww! You were about to just leave it for months, weren't you?!"

"Well… if I remembered to, I was going to clean it out. I think my elf helper would have gotten around to it, though."

Harry shot him a look and started jabbing the wand at things in the fridge, giving it orders. Terry watched with amusement, and a little amazement, before turning back to his not-as-entertaining packing.

After a while there was a loud thud from the kitchen and Terry turned, reaching for a wand he didn't have. Harry was in a defensive stance, wand held at the ready, glaring at the fridge.

"What the hell was that?"

"I think that fuzzy thing at the back moved."

"There's an animal in my fridge?" Terry asked, coming over to peer inside. He didn't see an animal. There was an exploded something kind of gross all over the fridge, though.

"I bet it wasn't an animal when you put it in there," Harry muttered.

"Come on, things don't mutate in the fridge. No matter how long they've been in there."

Harry gave him a look. "You sure about that?"

"It's common sense, kid."

"Yeah?" Harry put his hands on his hips. "We're in one of the strongest magic regions of this country, you're living in a building shaped by magic, run by magic, and everything around you works by magic. The food you put in here was probably grown with magic. You might have even put preservation charms on it, but they only last so long. And intention and belief shapes magic, yeah? So if you already got something living in your fridge, like _mold_, then it's not so far fetched to think you can influence it with thought." He sniffed. "And I think the fuzzy thing in the back moved. So I stopped it."

"And made a mess of my fridge."

"It always gets worse before it gets better." Harry crossed his arms. "The healers say so."

Terry held back a snort as he studied Harry. "Where'd you learn that? About influencing magic?"

"Mr. John. We're covering a lot more theory."

"You're learning a lot."

Harry shrugged and turned back to the fridge, muttering a few cleaning spells under his breath as he jabbed the wand at the fridge. "It all just makes sense. And it's fun."

"Hm." He ruffled Harry's hair. "I better get back to the packing."

Harry gave a distracted nod. Terry studied him a few moments longer with a fond smile and then went back to packing, continuing to smile at Harry's little noises of triumph and determination.

After a while, as he was trying to force the last of his socks into the suitcase wherever he could get them to fit, Harry came back over with a satisfied look.

"Everything all cleaned up?"

"Nearly there." Harry bounced onto his bed again and watched him stuff and shove and cram. "I love you, Terry."

"I sense a 'but' on the end of that. I fear I'm beginning to pick up Suntree's amazing psychic sensories."

"Sensories?"

"It sounded cool."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"So what's the 'but'?"

"But you suck at packing."

Terry laughed. "Thanks for your expert opinion there." He pointed a stern finger at the suitcase. "Pack!"

The clothing shot up out of the suitcase and rained down all over the bed. Harry fell back giggling beneath a shirt.

"Yeah, my focus sucks for household charms. Let me have my wand back."

"Just sucks?"

"It's awful, terrible, horrible, no good and is always having a very bad day. Satisfied? Hand the wand over."

Harry sat up, still giggling as he pulled the shirt off his head. He held the wand out and Terry snapped it up to flick, twist and flourish it over the bed. "Pack!" The clothes swarmed into the suitcase again, not very neatly but at least all there. "I guess that'll have to do."

Harry giggled again. "You have pink octopus boxers?"

Terry gave a little cough and stuffed them under a shirt as he gave Harry a defiant look. "Yeah…"

"Oh, as if I'm one to tease, with all the weird stuff you've seen me wear."

Terry snickered. "Like your mother's clothes."

"Hey, it was comfy, okay? And the kitten on the shirt was cute, so don't even start."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Harry eyed him suspiciously and then nodded in satisfaction.

"So… I think I've managed to force everything in here… getting something out without ruining the entire packing job, however, will be very interesting challenge."

Harry rolled his eyes and waved a hand at his backpack. It hopped up onto the bed next to him and Harry unzipped it just enough to sneak a hand in and pull out a teddy bear. He gave Terry a challenging look as he put it on top of the packed clothes.

"You're taking him."

Terry picked the bear up with a chuckle. "He's cute. He have a name?"

"Paddy."

"He's cute," Terry repeated. "But I don't really have room for him."

"Hah!" Harry tugged the bear away and put him on top of the clothes again. "Wand!"

Terry handed it over.

Harry took it and, eyes narrowed in concentration, jabbed it at the suitcase. "Get packed!"

Everything exploded out of the suitcase and then sucked back in, neatly folded and tucked in. The bear was neatly in the middle of it all, and there was even a gap left for the toiletry bag sitting on the dresser.

"There," Harry said smugly, handing the wand back.

Terry nodded, impressed. "You're definitely a natural."

"Yep."

"And so modest, too."

Harry giggled.

"So…" Terry studied his gleaming, dirty dish free kitchen and then his neatly packed bags. "Want to go do something fun?"

"Of course!"

Terry winked. "But you can't tell your mother. Really."

"Ooh."

With a grin, Terry went over to his closet and sneakily reached in and pulled his hand back, keeping his hand close to his body. He closed the door and turned, casually holding two brooms. Harry's eyes widened.

"Seriously?" he breathed.

"Seriously. We've got a few hours before I've got to get you back and there's a pitch attached to the apartments. Want to?"

"Want to? You have to ask? The hell is wrong with you?"

Terry snorted. "Don't let Sunny catch you using that kind of language."

"Do I look retarded? Don't even think about answering that." Harry jabbed a finger at him warningly.

Terry laughed. "Come on. Leave your backpack here."

Harry eagerly scrambled up and after him. "Can I carry one? Can I? Please?"

"Sure." Terry held out one with a chuckle and Harry took it carefully and held it close, grinning dreamily to himself. With another chuckle Terry guided him out of the apartment and down several twisting hallways and through several doors. At the third door Terry paused dramatically before pushing it open. Harry gave a little squeak.

Grass stretched out far into the distance and there were blue skies above, though there was a conspicuous lack of clouds and sun. Harry could see another wall across from the door, in the distance, but it seemed miles away to him. The same was true for the walls that were to both sides of the room. In the middle of the area there was a wide, white oval on the grass and it almost reminded Harry of a football field, except on either end of the oval there were three large poles that rose high in the sky and ended in rings.

"Multi-purpose field," Terry said cheerfully, steering him out towards the middle of the empty room. "Football, soccer, Quodpot and Quidditch capabilities. Very modern. And the marked field takes up only a small portion of the middle of the room to leave space for stands and for flying. Quodpot can stay within the boundaries of the line, mostly, but Quidditch never could. You know about Quidditch?"

Harry gave a slow nod. "I have magazines…"

"Definitely have to have lots of room when you've got a snitch, and especially when you've got bludgers. Rough game. I'm actually surprised it hasn't caught on like wildfire over here, given how we like our violent sports. But then again, Quodpot is the American broom game. I've played Quidditch before, you know."

Harry gave him a wide-eyed look. "You have?"

"Mmhm. In school I played Quodpot, but I gave Quidditch a try for a season. I was a decent Chaser, but no, not for me."

"I think it sounds lovely."

Terry chuckled. "Lovely, huh?"

"Yes."

"How's flying sound?"

"Completely Ozzin'!"

Terry laughed. "All right." He stopped them in the middle of the oval. "Put your broom on the ground," he said, demonstrating. "Some people think this is unnecessary, but any time you fly a new broom, it's something you ought to do. Now, put your hand over it and say 'up' in a confident, clear voice."

Harry did so eagerly and let out another squeak when the broom hit his hand with a satisfying sound. "It's humming with magic," he said excitedly.

"Very good. Now let go slowly and it should hover." Terry nodded as Harry did so. "Now, here. Mount like I do. Make sure you keep your hands right here." Terry called his own broom to hand and then mounted it. "Now slide back until you meet the cushioning charm. You're much smaller than me and the broom's designed for an adult. There you go. Now, lean back, lift your feet slowly off the ground, and – you're on a broom."

Harry gave him a wide grin. "I'm on a broom!"

"You are. Now lean forward a little like this, yes, there you go. More comfortable?"

Harry nodded eagerly.

"It might feel a little strange at first to be flying, so it's all right if you need to stop. I'll give you step by step instructions on how to do this, but I want to test something. See if you can hover about another foot up"

Harry concentrated a little and then he smiled slowly and relaxed as the broom rose carefully.

"Very good. Now fly around me slowly."

With a growing smile Harry did so, circling around him until he stopped where he'd started.

"Just as I figured. Looks like you don't need step by step instructions. You're a natural at this. Go ahead, fly around a bit. Don't go higher than a few feet though. And not too fast."

The words had barely left his mouth when Harry set off, rising slowly to several feet above the ground and meandering along above the grass. Terry let his own broom carry him up a little higher than Harry's and he watched, sitting back comfortably on the broom, as Harry flew around at the pace of a quick walk with a wide, silly grin.

"Hey, kid."

Harry pivoted around to face him with expert ease.

"You can go a little higher."

With even more of a grin Harry's broom rose straight up several more feet and then pivoted perfectly again. Terry watched him maneuver the broom like he'd been flying for years.

"You can fly a bit quicker, Jame. Just don't do anything that'd freak your mom out."

"Mom would be freaked out to see me on a broom in the first place," he called back with a laugh, putting on more speed as he headed towards the far end of the field. Before Terry realized what he intended, Harry whipped around the goal posts and wove through them perfectly before spinning and shooting off to skim just above the grass, following the outline of the oval, picking up speed as he went. Slowly Terry brought his wrist up to his mouth and pressed a little button on the side of his watch. A distorted voice came from the face of the watch.

"Yes?"

"Sunny, are you at HQ?"

"Yes."

"Come over to the East Willows Complex, sport room. You'll want to see this."

"All right." The faint hum went away and Terry dropped his arm, still watching the quick turns and stops and weaves Harry was doing with brilliant ease. Harry was still doing them, flying even higher and faster than before and completely lost in his own world, when Terry saw the door to the room open out of the corner of his eye. Suntree came in a few feet before stopping to watch Harry.

Terry turned back to Harry just in time to see Harry's eyes snap open.

"Suntree!" Harry spun his broom around to face Suntree and he waved with a wild grin.

Terry raised his brows a little at that and glanced at Suntree. His expression said he'd caught it as well.

"Hello, Jamie. Someone finally got you on a broom, I see," Suntree remarked, walking out to where Terry was hovering.

Harry whipped over on his broom and came to a clean stop a few feet from Suntree, grinning widely. "Aren't brooms great?!"

"Fantastic. Go back to flying. You look good out there."

"I feel good!"

"Then go on."

Harry didn't need to be told again. He went whipping off towards the other goal posts to weave through them. Suntree stopped beside the hovering Terry.

"Natural on a broom, too, I see," Suntree commented mildly.

"I'm beginning to think there's nothing this kid can't do."

"Birth children."

Terry rolled his eyes.

"To be fair, though, his father was purportedly a very good Quidditch player."

"That kid's got more control than a lot of adults I see."

"He's used to disciplined action. You know the body's coordination helps guide the flying. That's why it's considered best to train someone on a broom before or after puberty but not during."

"What? Do you like memorize books or something?"

"Something. Incidentally, did you notice that he called out my name before he actually saw me?"

"I had."

"Interesting development."

"I think I've noticed him sort of doing it before, just never quite as noticeably as that."

"It's dismissible at home." Suntree turned to watch Harry streak down to the other end of the pitch. "There's a finite number of people coming and going in that house and there's a number of ways he could identify someone before actually seeing who it is. Here, anyone could have walked in, and he had no reason to even think I was in the area, let alone coming over."

"Thank you, Sherlock."

"Jamie!"

Harry whirled and stopped in one smooth motion, then shot over to hover a few feet away. "Yeah?" he asked a little breathlessly.

"Feel comfortable and confident?"

"Oh yeah!"

"Mind if I test your balance?"

"Um, no. How?"

"Let me put a cushioning charm down." He pulled his wand and made a complex gesture at the ground beneath Harry and then put the wand away. He closed the distance between them, stepping carefully on the cushioning charm to keep his balance, and reached up to rest a hand on the handle of the broom. "Come down a little. There's fine. I'm going to give the broom a shake. Don't grip extra tight, the way you're sitting should be fine."

Harry nodded and watched Suntree carefully as Suntree did just that, give the broom a shake back and forth. The broom moved and Harry stayed seated with only a little leaning this way and that.

"Very good." Suntree unexpectedly gave a hard pull downward on the broom and Harry leveled the broom instinctively even as he gave Suntree a startled look.

"What…?"

"Excellent." Suntree gave him a rare, wide grin. "That was very good."

Harry smiled back just as widely. "Thanks."

"One last thing. I'm going to try to move the broom and I want you to keep it as steady as you can. Try not to let it move."

Harry nodded and Suntree gripped the handle again, giving it a fairly hard push. The broom shifted a little to the side and stilled. Suntree tried it again, pushing upward, and the broom tipped just a little before steadying.

"Thank you. Go back to flying."

"What'd that do?" Harry asked curiously.

"Just checking something. Most people new to flying have trouble controlling a broom when there's something strong acting against it. In an inside stadium like this, that's fine, but when you're outside you have to know how to adjust for wind. It's something people generally learn after a while, but some people just have a natural steadfastness. That's what I was checking."

"Oh. I guess I got to work on that, huh?"

"Because I moved you?"

"Yeah."

"I barely moved you. There're likely some professional players who would have moved a little bit more. It's… You see, it's almost like trusting the magic. You're basically on a flimsy piece of wood with a tail of twigs; it's the magic that makes it a viable form of transportation and something that's able to support a person. Most people can get a broom up and fly it, but even some people born in the magical world sometimes have trouble seeing the broom as something that will actually safely support them. Some people have trouble being comfortable with the idea of being hundreds of feet in the air on what amounts to a strong, pliable manifestation of magic attached to a stick. Does that make sense?"

"A strong, pliable manifestation of magic attached to a stick…" Harry gave a slow nod as he worked it out. "People don't think that the broom should withstand something pushing against it because a real broom wouldn't? They forget that it's really a lot of magic and magic can be as strong and tough as a wall?"

"Exactly."

"But I wasn't thinking about that at all."

"No, you weren't. But you don't need to. Most people would never need to. They just trust the strength of magic. Granted, some people can trust the strength of magic all day long and still have trouble. When that happens, they're getting caught upon the fact it's a broom or that they're in the air or something else."

Harry nodded. "Okay."

"Go back to flying now. Fast and high is fine. Just not super fast and super high."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah!" Harry shot off again with a grin.

"We're going to have to train him on a broom," Suntree remarked once he'd walked back over to where Terry was hovering.

"I'm glad you said it. Good luck getting Laney to agree."

"I'll wait a couple weeks to talk to her."

"Come up with a battle plan?"

"Quite."

"By Oz, that boy's gonna be a great Quodpot player."

"I'm inclined to say he'll prefer Quidditch."

"What makes you say that?"

"He seems to prefer speed and tricky maneuvers."

"You have that in Quodpot."

"You may want to close your eyes. I think he's going to dive."

They both watched as Harry took a plunge toward the ground, pulling up with ease just short of it and skimming over the grass with an ecstatic laugh.

"You don't have that in Quodpot," Suntree said with amusement.

"Maybe he'll get into exhibition flying."

"Maybe." Suntree slid his hands into his pockets. "When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning. Early. I have to be up at four, so I'll have to get to bed early."

"Don't get killed while you're away."

"Aren't you just a bucket of sunshine?"

"A bucket of Suntree, in fact. It's blue."

"What?"

"The bucket. And it has red stripes on it."

"If you insist."


	11. Chapter 11

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Harry Potter. And I'm selling a big golden bridge. And I have some valuable property on the moon I'm selling at a reasonable price; I'll even throw in a spaceship for practically nothing. And my pet dragon doesn't bite at all. I'm clearly delusional.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Are like funnel cake. Delicious.

Review Responses: Didn't have chance to look at them yet.

AN: BRITPICKER – Please?

AN2: Warding team PR9 simply stands for warding team private residence 9, i.e. warding team 9, specializing in private residences.

BETAS: Betas are awesome. Hug your beta reader today. Hugs to mine – Jynx67 and Andrea. Megan, too!

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 11

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"The ward team will be here in about ten minutes, Lane." Kathy gave her a reassuring smile. "No problems, all right. All trusted, all under secrecy contract."

"I know. Just- you really think Jamie should be here? He might be recognized."

"The scar's covered with makeup. You have to use a removal potion to get it off. And his forehead is usually hidden by his hair, anyway. He's a little wild child."

"I worry."

"I know. You're exceptionally good at it."

"I know."

"Suntree trusts them. He doesn't trust lightly. He knows them."

"I know."

"And John's here to make the warding into an educational experience. He'll run any necessary interference. He's good at that."

"I know."

"So stop worrying, woman. I order you."

Laney snorted but smiled.

"And Suntree's out back setting up the little shed."

"Well, at least I won't have to worry about potions blowing up my kitchen."

"Quite right." Kathy gave Laney's arm a reassuring squeeze. "It'll be all right."

"I know." Laney fidgeted a moment. "What were they told about the job again? It's obvious that Jamie's not the son of someone's important. Definitely not a politicians' kid or anything."

"That he's one of our special interest cases. That basically means that he has one of those out of the ordinary gifts that the USAS takes an interest in. And it's not that unusual. They're not going to spend a lot of time thinking about it."

"All right."

"And they won't think anything of Jamie watching and John explaining things, either."

"That's good."

"Feeling any better?"

"A bit."

"Good. I'm going to- Hey, Jamie."

Harry grinned at them from the doorway and came over to snuggle onto Laney's lap, giving her a hug.

"Hey there, sweetie." She gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Excited?"

"Yeah! Mr. John and I went over warding theory all week. It sounds really neat."

"Most people find it rather boring," Kathy said with amusement.

"Oh no, it's really awesome! Really, really. It's not like the spells I've been doing, single cause and single effect. Warding's all about complex spells and layering spells and it's just really awesome. And you know what Suntree's doing to that shed? It's way cool! He's making it bigger inside than it is outside!"

"Why aren't you out there staring in awe then?" Kathy teased.

Harry sniffed. "Because he sent me away so he could finish. He said the spell won't take if there's something in the field of it, like a me."

"Like a you, huh?"

Harry stuck out his tongue at Kathy.

Laney laughed lightly. "Poor dear. Are you going to bug Mr. John to teach you how to make things bigger?"

"It's called space layering," Harry told her brightly. "And definitely."

"It's very, very hard to do," Kathy warned. "Most adults can't do it."

Harry sniffed. "Most adults are silly."

Kathy shook her head fondly as Laney ruffled his hair. "That's my boy."

"But I was watching what Suntree was doing and it seemed kind of inefficient."

"Oh?" Kathy grinned at him. "Do tell."

"Well, if you're going to be that way about it," Harry pouted.

"Suntree's pretty good at that layering stuff," John said as he came into the room, limping just slightly and leaning on his cane. "Not an expert by any means, of course, but it works for our purposes."

"Exactly." Harry gave a prim nod. "Inefficient. He leaves little air bubbles."

"Air bubbles?" John settled in a chair with a little sigh and stretched out his leg.

"Yeah. Like, you know, air bubbles. Like in photo albums? You push the plastic thing down flat, but most of the time you get air bubbles and they get in the way. He leaves air bubbles things."

"How could you tell?"

Harry shrugged. "I could just sort of sense it. But only after he did one of the layer things. After he did another one I couldn't tell there were any in the first, so they weren't, like, huge air bubbles. But I knew they were there. So he's, like, stacking sheets of magic or something on other sheets, but there's these air bubble type spaces, so they're not even, right? And if they're not even, then they take up more space, right? Kind of like papers with staples in them. You stack them all up the same way and one corner of the stack is just towering over the rest. But if you turn every other paper it's a bit more even, but not really. And stuff."

John shook his head. "Your analogies never fail to amuse me."

Harry made a face.

"I'm returned!" Cam swept into the room. "Hello, ladies! And John."

Harry snickered. "Am I a lady, then?"

Cam eyed him with a grin. "The jury's still out on that one."

"Whatever." He gave her a dismissive wave.

Cam's mouth quirked upward with amusement. "Yes, indeed, whatever." Cam came over and held out her hands for Laney and Kathy to see, looking entirely pleased. "Aren't my nails just lovely?"

Harry studied them as Kathy and Laney exclaimed the approval. They were a dark color with bright, colorful shooting stars on them.

"Those are gorgeous. They even have a bit of glittery sparkle to them." Kathy studied her own nails with a sigh. "I should get my nails done."

"Very nice," Laney said with a nod. "And they're all different, too, aren't they? Very eye catching."

Harry grabbed one of her hands to look at the nails closely. "Those are so awesome pretty."

Cam preened.

"But they're over regulation length," Harry continued.

Cam pulled her hand back with a sniff. "Spoilsport."

"But they're still completely awesome pretty."

"Thank you." The doorbell rang just as she sat down and she popped back to her feet with a snort. "I'll get it."

"I'll come with." Kathy stood and took a moment to straighten the pillow at the corner of the couch before heading out of the room. There was a murmur of several voices in the hall after a few moments.

"Nervous?" Laney asked Harry.

"Nah."

"Not at all?"

"Mr. John said there wouldn't be a quiz later."

Laney laughed. "Oh, if only the rest of the world could be so simple."

Harry sniffed. "It's obviously not trying hard enough."

"Obviously."

"Hey, Lane, come out and meet the team," Cam called out from the area of the dining room. "And Jame? Run out and get Sunny for us."

"No need, I've just come in. I'll be there shortly."

"Let's go as well, shall we?" John said with a smile after Laney had left the room. He levered himself up using his cane and Harry gave him a concerned look as John limped his way over.

"Are you okay?"

"Just the leg acting funny. No problem." He dropped a hand to Harry's shoulder to give it a squeeze and then moved carefully around him. Harry watched John walk with some concern before following behind.

In the dining room, there were several large pieces of paper spread out on the table and everyone was gathered around them, studying them thoughtfully. When they came in, John's cane making quiet thudding noises as he stepped off the carpet onto the wood floor, everyone glanced up. Several faces broke out into grins.

Harry studied the five – no, six new people around the table.

There were blonde twins in nice jeans and shirts standing with Cam. Harry bit back a giggle to see they were admiring each other's nails. Laney was standing beside a pair of middle aged men that were most definitely not twins. One was wearing sensible clothes, had short brown hair, square glasses on his face and a pencil behind his ear. The other had bright red hair sticking out in every direction and was wearing a pair of old jeans and a Hawaiian shirt.

There was a woman at the far end of the table with bright blue hair sticking straight up in spikes all over her head, wearing baggy, dark clothes, and beside her was a brown haired man in jeans. He looked at least five years younger than everyone else. When he glanced up and noticed Harry looking his way he grinned and winked.

All in all, Harry was a bit surprised. He'd been expecting some sort of matching uniform or something else official, at the very least.

"All right." Suntree came into the room, ruffling Harry's hair fondly as he passed. "I'm here."

"Sunny, you old reprobate," the wild redheaded man greeted with a grin.

"What's a reprobate?" Harry asked, drawing everyone's attention. The redhead gave a little cough that told Harry whatever they told him, it probably wouldn't be the whole definition.

"It's a fancy term for troublemaker," Suntree said calmly, pulling one of the chairs away from the table. "Come join us, Jamie. John, the chair on Jame's other side is free."

Harry eyed the table for a moment before going over to sit down slowly. After a moment, he shifted up to his knees on the chair and leaned forward to see the papers better. They were layouts of the inside of the house.

"Everyone, this is Jamie Featheridge. Jamie, this is warding team PR9. The twins are Cecilia and Lindsay." They waved at him and Harry grinned and waved back. "Marty," Suntree continued, pointing at the redhead and then to the other man, "and Derek."

"Hey there, kid," Marty greeted, leaning forward and holding out a large hand. Harry shook it, giggling a little as his hand disappeared into the handshake. The other man, Derek, gave him a wan smile.

"Down at the end of the table we have Spike-"

The blue haired woman raised a hand. "Heyo."

"And Alaris."

"Al, please. Al." He nodded to Harry. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Jamie shall be observing today, but he won't get in the way."

Derek gave Harry another vague look.

"So let's get started."

Strange phrases flew around the table, like balance point, spiral anchors and windup start. Harry didn't pay it much attention, he just watched as pens came out and symbols were written on the papers and then different colored pens came out and more symbols were written. He was just starting to get an idea of some sort of pattern when the meeting broke to get on with the warding. When the room cleared out Harry, John, Laney and Cam were the only ones left.

"That make any sense?" John asked.

"No," Laney said with a sigh. "Not at all."

Harry giggled. "Not really. Maybe almost a little at the end, but not really."

"It'll make more sense to you when you see it." John pushed himself up carefully and ushered Harry out.

They found Spike walking up and down the stairs slowly, a look of concentration on her face. John leaned in to murmur in Harry's ear. "She's looking for the balance point of the house. That's the place you want to start all warding. What you do is send out a special spell that goes through the entire house and then it goes to hover in the place that is equally distance from all other areas of the house. It becomes the start and end point and where you anchor the frame of the wards."

Harry nodded, watching her concentrated walking. "But what is she doing?"

"It's a trailing spell, you see. It's still connected to her wand by a thread of magic. She's trying to follow the thread back to the now stationary spell. And- there, see? She's just found it."

Harry watched as Spike held the wand steady, pointing to an area off the side of the stairs, eyes narrowed in concentration.

"So where's everyone else?" Harry asked once it became obvious she was just going to stand there like that.

"Four upstairs corners of the house," a quiet voice said from behind Harry. Harry twisted around to see Al watching with a half grin.

"Why aren't you?"

"Not my specialty. I come into the warding after they get the frame up. I'm a sound spinner."

"What's that?"

"I make the wards even stronger and harder to get through by weaving a chant into the magic. To worm your way into chanted wards is very hard. You see, sound and magic react very well together. It helps make intention clear and it sharpens the focus of the magic. If you can actually push magic into the sound itself, instead of just directing magic with sound, you have a very powerful force. It makes the wards very strong and very tight."

"That's way cool."

"Totally way cool," Al agreed with a grin.

"Jamie, pay attention."

Harry looked back to the stairs. Spike was done glaring at the spot, now she was waving her wand around in patterns and thrusting her wand toward the four corners of the house, one pattern and thrust for each corner. Every time she did, Harry could sense a thick burst of magic leave the wand and meet another hot point of magic. The end effect gave Harry the feeling of a rubber band stretched tight in four directions. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if one of them snapped.

He obviously wasn't the only one to feel them, either. When the other four in the warding team came downstairs, they all ducked at the top before heading down, like there was something there they didn't want to walk into. If he concentrated really hard, Harry could almost imagine the stretched magic, like dust motes dancing tightly together in the sunlight, but John began to murmur in his ear, distracting him.

"Let's go watch Marty in the living room."

Harry nodded and trailed after John, into the room and off to the side of the doorway. Marty gave them a cheerful grin and a wink before he turned his attention away, lifting his wand and closing his eyes. When nothing seemed to happen for a while, Harry relaxed and just tried to feel the room around him, letting his eyes wander.

"Jame," John breathed.

Harry glanced up at him and then back to Marty. The man was starting to make complex wand gestures, and now that Harry was focused on him he could feel the power building. It was coming from the stairs, expanding out slowly like a balloon, and then there was a sudden pull from Marty's corner that made the magic snap in a way Harry could feel all over his body. For one instant it felt like a tug-of-war and then the magic became taut. Marty began to make odd motions with his wand, almost like he was trying to wind something in. Harry pressed a little closer to John.

"It's like a magnet," Harry breathed.

John knelt down beside him with great care. "What?"

"It's like a magnet, sort of… Whatever he was doing grabbed the magic she was putting together and it slammed into his wand… and now he's trying to pull it in tightly…"

"Very good."

Harry watched wide-eyed as Marty turned around slowly, the magic around him straining in a way that made Harry press even more closely to John. Once the man was facing the corner he jabbed his wand at the ceiling and then dragged the wand downward, pointing at the line where the two walls met. His every movement looked like he was straining to force the wand down the line. Once he reached the bottom corner of the room, visibly struggling to hold on, Marty jabbed his wand at it with a little grunt and then jerked away so fast he almost toppled over. There was a sudden hard snap of the magic in the room and the rubber band feeling intensified.

"My God…" Harry breathed.

Marty ran a hand back through his hair and then very carefully stepped over the air near the corner and followed the wall around to where they were standing.

"I know it's not very exciting," he said with a bit of a grin, pocketing his wand and fanning himself with his hand.

"The magic is all tight," Harry said, staring into the middle of the room. "Is it getting stronger?"

"Yes, it is." Marty gave him a delighted grin. "Did you know that there's a trace of magic in everything? Even the air?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, we just set up a power knot. It's going to draw in those traces of magic to make the wards more powerful. But more importantly, by drawing in the ambient magic of your surrounding, you're hiding the presence of wards in the feel of the area itself! Only very careful inspection or someone with a gift for sensing magic would pick up the wards once we're done."

"Wow…"

"Pretty neat, isn't it?"

"Way awesome."

Marty laughed. "Very."

John gave a little chuckle himself and shifted his cane to lever himself up with a groan. Harry gave him a concerned look.

"I'm fine, kid," John reassured.

Harry frowned but let it go. He gave John a careful hug around the waist, instead.

"Well, we're up for a break," Marty said after studying them. "Best to get outside while we wait for the knot to do its work. Don't want anyone to disrupt the magic now that it's up. Too damned easy to do. All it takes is walking into it, you know. Just follow me out of the room, all right? Make sure you step where I step and move how I move."

"Lead the way."

"That's why we normally don't like other people in our work area," Marty explained as he ducked around the rubber band of magic, headed for the kitchen. "We're trained to sense where we put the lines, but other people could walk into them without ever knowing. It'd really mess things up."

"Oh no, I could never walk into that," Harry said fervently. "It feels like a stretched rubber band and those things hurt if you snap them."

Marty glanced back, giving Harry a considering look. "You can feel it?"

"Oh. Um…" Harry glanced at John and John gave him a smile.

"Jamie's special."

"Gonna be a warder when you grow up?" Marty asked.

"Nope. I'm gonna be a ninja turtle."

Marty burst out laughing. "Good for you. Not enough people going into that line of business these days."

Harry sniffed. "You don't have to be condescending at me, you know."

"Sorry, kid. And we have another line in the kitchen…" Marty gave Harry another considering look. "Hey, kid?"

"Yeah."

"Let's see how well you're picking this up. Point to where you think the line is."

"Where I know the line is." Harry pointed to the corner of the room and then followed the line of the rubber band feeling to point out towards the hall. "We have to duck right there a little if we walk along the wall."

"Damn good job."

"No naughty language," Harry said sternly. "My mom will spoon you."

"What?"

"Laney has a spoon that she's taken to hitting people with if they misbehave," John explained.

Marty laughed. "Well, I think I'm safe from it."

"You don't know my mom very well." Harry smirked. "Just try it."

John grinned as he ducked under the line and eased his way to the back door. "Laney would smack anyone misbehaving around her. Wouldn't matter. Could be the President of the Magical United States and she'd smack him upside the head without a second thought."

Marty laughed as he pushed the back door open. "I think you're exaggerating."

"I think I'm not."

"He's not," Harry piped up. "Definitely not."

Mary shrugged.

Out on the porch, the Aurors were lounging about, some in plastic chairs, and some in wooden chairs Harry had never seen before. The couple of warders who weren't on the porch were sitting on the playground fort.

"Hey guys," Laney greeted the group, holding out her arms to Harry. He bounced over to give her a hug. "Spike says it was probably pretty boring in there for you, just watching people wave wands."

Harry shook his head. "Oh no, it was pretty cool."

"So what's your magical gift?" Spike asked with a grin.

Harry smirked. "I can walk and chew gum at the same time."

Spike rolled her eyes. "Looks like you're being waved over to the playground stuff, kid."

Harry glanced back and saw Al beckoning him over. Harry glanced questioningly at Laney.

"Go on, baby," Laney said after a moment's hesitation.

"Mooom."

Laney grinned.

With an exasperated sound, Harry slouched off towards the playground, stopping after only a few steps to look back at the porch. John was standing, leaning heavily on his cane as he talked to Marty. Harry gave him a super stern glare, arms crossed over his chest. "Mr. John!"

Everyone got quiet and looked over at Harry.

"You will sit down right now, Mr. John! Don't make me make you make me make… something… Sit!"

"All right," John said with a laugh. "You're dangerous when you get incoherent."

Harry hmphed and watched with a stern eye until John had settled carefully.

"Satisfied, sir dictator?"

"Yes." Harry turned with a bright smile and finished his journey to the fort.

Al's mouth twitched as he gave a wave. "Hey there, kid."

"Hello, Mr. Alaris."

"Al, please. Just Al."

"Alright, Just Al."

"Smartie pants."

"That's me." Harry sat back on another part of the fort. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah. Just figured you'd get bored listening to all the adult conversation and that'd you want to hang out with someone way cooler."

"You're way cooler, are you?"

"Sure am."

Harry eyed him. "You watch the Turtles?"

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Sure do."

"Okay. You're way cooler."

Al grinned. "Glad you agree."

"So what'cha gonna do to entertain me?" Harry asked with a grin.

Al laughed. "You're a cheeky one."

"That's me, cheeky."

"Don't have much time. Probably about twenty minutes. Though… got a wand?"

"Yeah."

"How are you with doing magic?"

Harry shrugged. "Okay, I guess. Why?"

"Well, have you seen a free-floating light sphere?"

Harry shook his head slowly. "I don't think so."

"Here, I'll show you." He pulled his own wand and gave it a flourish, twirl, twist and swish. A glowing light flowed out of the end of it and formed a free-floating sphere of white light. "See?"

"Wow. Can I try?"

"It's a surprisingly difficult spell to do," Al warned. "It takes even more practice to hold it wandless."

"Can I try?"

"Go get your wand and I'll walk you through it."

Harry bounced down and over to Suntree. "Suntree."

"Sing song voice means you're going to ask for something," Suntree remarked.

"My wand?"

"For?"

"Al said he'd teach me-"

"I'd show him," Al called out.

"He'd show me how to do this free-floating light spell."

"Hm." Suntree pulled out the sticker covered wand and held it out. "It's hard," he warned before letting the wand go. "It doesn't look it, but it is."

Harry nodded and skipped back over to where he'd been sitting. "I'm ready."

Al eyed his wand curiously.

"Binding stickers."

"Quite a few," Al remarked.

"They wanted to reduce the power of my spells."

"This spell might give you trouble, then."

"Then I'll just use another wand and try it again."

Al eyed him with even more curiosity. "All right. Now, here." With slow, deliberate movements he showed Harry each step and spoke the words of the spell out loud. "Now, you see how important it is to line up each syllable with each movement and how I drew everything out at an even pace?"

Harry nodded.

"That's a form of Arithmancy. Know what that is?"

Harry nodded.

"Know how to do any of it?"

Harry shook his head. "Mr. John says he'll touch on that when we start part three of my tutoring year, so sometime September."

"Part three, huh? In September. So that means… you get tutoring all year round without breaks?"

"I get a couple days here and there and a week for Christmas and stuff like that. Even then they keep teaching me stuff, even when I don't have proper tutoring lessons. Mr. John says it'll prepare me for my magic school schedule."

"That doesn't seem very fun."

Harry gave him a look of disbelief. "Not fun? It's magic!"

Al laughed. "One day it'll become school work and then you won't like it."

Harry sniffed. "I'm likely going to Hathorne when I get older."

Al's brows went up. "Oh? Rather exclusive school. You can't apply, you know, they invite you. I mean, you can ask a teacher to send in a recommendation to them, but that rarely works out. And you do realize you'll have to do a lot more school work there than other places, right?"

"It sounds fun. And Mr. John's a teacher there and he says he can't see them not inviting me."

"John is, huh?" Al glanced over to the porch area and back to Harry. "How old are you, kid?"

"I'll be eight this summer."

"And how long have you been doing magic?"

"I'm not at liberty to say," he quipped with a cheeky grin.

"Sure." Al snorted. "Okay, let's go through the sphere spell again. Pay close attention." Al repeated it with care, Harry watching with total concentration. And then Al repeated it again.

"I think… I've got it… Walk me through it."

"All right. We'll do it very slowly a few times and then you can see if you can string it all together."

Harry nodded seriously and followed Al's movements with extreme care. It almost seemed like it would work until he tried it at regular speed without help. The magic of the spell just slipped away every time.

"Can I try your wand?" Harry asked after failing for a fourth time in a row.

"My wand? My wand's pretty powerful."

"Good. That might make it easier."

"I'm not so sure…"

"Okay. I'll go ask someone else." Harry jumped down from his seat before Al could say anything and he scurried over to the first person he knew he could ask. "Hey, Cammy, can I borrow your wand for a spell?"

Cam slipped the wand from her sleeve and ruffled his hair as Harry took it, shooting him a grin but not breaking the flow of the story she was telling. It sounded like it might be interesting, involving ex-boyfriends and turning people into hedgehogs and throwing things at people, but Harry was more intrigued by the light spell. He jogged back over to the playground and climbed up onto his seat again.

"Okay. Let's try that again."

Al eyed the wand. "Just like that?"

"Huh?"

"You ask and get someone else's wand just like that?"

"Sure."

"Interesting." He held up his wand again. "Let's try it again."

And they did. Harry had an almost success on the third attempt and it spurred him to working even harder with more determination. And to Harry's amazement, the sixth try with Cam's wand produced an unsteady white sphere. It wobbled and flickered and then slowly went flat before disappearing, but Harry grinned even so.

"Well, I'm impressed," Al said, sounding it.

"That was awesome."

"It was."

"Hey Al! Time to get back inside and start putting up the wards."

Al chucked and slid off the fort. "See you inside, kid."

"Sure."

Al jogged over to fall in step with Spike, leaning in to murmur to her. Harry watched him for a few seconds, knowing it had to be him they were talking about, and then he dismissed it and jumped down to give a waiting Cam her wand back.

"Thanks."

"No problem, monkeypants."

"Jamie, we better get inside again," John called out, levering himself up with his cane.

Harry hurried over to John to follow him inside.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with John easing his way through the house to different rooms where the warders were working, all six at a time casting spells.

"Just one or two or three or any number of people can cast wards," John had explained as they watched the dining room get warded. "Five is the usual number, six in the case of a special team like this. There's a person to take each wall and someone, ward holder, to stand in the exact center of the room to hold the lines of magic that are being woven and tied together."

"What they're doing is making a wide sweeping gesture to encompass the entire wall with the first wave of magic," John said as they watched the kitchen being warded. "It's a sort of sticky magic that the rest of the magic will cling to. Once it's up, they weave patterns of magic onto it. After each pattern, see, they twist their wand and then thrust it out towards the ward holder. She catches it and either anchors it at her feet or above her head. It alternates in turns, back and forth. That takes care of the ceiling and the floor. See?

"The ward holder is doing patterns, too, in-between being given the other magic lines. When all of the lines are up, the ward holder takes a firm hold on the magic pooled in the ceiling and the floor and forces them together, like bringing two sides of a bag together and snapping it shut. The ceiling and floor are actually acting to hold up the ward structure."

They moved upstairs with great care, John practically crawling near the top to avoid interfering with the magic.

"Have you noticed they're doing the four corners of the house downstairs and then the four corners upstairs?" John asked as they watched Harry's bedroom get warded.

Harry nodded slowly after a few moments of distracted watching.

"Then they do any inside rooms and hallways. That's because they're tying each room into that four way rubber band like structure you mentioned earlier. Can you feel how they're drawing the lines of magic from each room into that frame and pulling it along with them to the next room, so they're all connected? Wards should be all one piece fused together from a lot of strong little pieces."

They trailed behind the warding team to Laney's bedroom. "This is most unique," John told him as they watched, half crouching at the foot of the bed. "Chanters are a little rare; you don't often see them. But can you sense what he's doing with the magic? I can almost feel it from years of exposure, but you should be able to get a sense of it more clearly.

"The patterns of three are very important. Walking along the walls in a circular pattern, chanting and adding magic to the walls will wind up sound magic into the patterns, making them harder to undo. Then he circles around the warder three times, chanting, adding magic to the lines of magic connecting the walls to the center point. This establishes a solid core for the wards to hold on to. What do you think circling halfway between the walls and the solid core will do?"

Harry shrugged a little. "I'm… not sure."

"That's going to build a network of chanted magical lines that will sort of resemble a spider web, except with a lot of interlacing and overlapping and twisting together. You see, the more complex a chanted ward, the harder it is to undo."

John guided Harry back downstairs to let the warders finish the last few rooms upstairs without an audience. He was even more careful of the magic structure as they went down, resorting to sitting down and sliding down one step at a time. John began to explain warding theory with great dignity once he was on his feet again and they were waiting in the hall.

"You can probably feel the way the magic is strung throughout the entire house," John remarked as they watched the warders come downstairs after nearly half an hour.

The group spaced out evenly around the balance point, Spike standing in the center of the group and Al waiting off to the side. When they began, those in the circle were standing still, making no movements except for the intricate patterns they were waving with their wands. Al stepped in after each person had done it once, weaving in and out of the circle, touching the tip of his wand to theirs in turn as he passed.

"Notice how each time he goes around and the pattern changes, the wards are tightening around that center point? The magic will get pulled very tight until it feels strained and then they have to relax it just enough to let it snap into place. This is a very hard warding pattern that they're doing. One mistake here and for most teams it would mean starting all over again from the very beginning."

"Why not for them?" Harry murmured.

"If you have a sound spinner, that person can actually hold the entire ward structure together with the sound magic. If there's a mistake here, the entire pattern isn't lost and they can start over again from this point. But it doesn't look as though that will be necessary; things look to be going quite well."

After they finished the last of the double checking and the additional security spells on the front and back door, everyone returned to the porch again to rest, all of the warders drinking juice like they'd never be able to drink again. Harry watched with amusement from his seat on the fort as Laney fluttered around the group, making sure everyone was all right. Suntree finally snagged her and made her sit down.

"Hey, kid, mind if I join you?" Al asked as he came over, pressing a bottle of juice to his forehead.

"Hey, no. Sure. Feel free." Harry shifted over and giggled as Al sat down next to him and ended up sprawling out on the warm wood. "You look tired," Harry remarked, wriggling around to sit cross legged, facing him.

"Am. Definitely am." He pressed the bottom of the juice to his forehead. Harry waved a hand over him and Al groaned a little. "Damn, that's a sweet little cooling charm you just did." He eyed Harry curiously.

"I told you I was okay with magic," Harry said with a grin.

"Better than okay. Way cool."

Harry giggled. "Way cool."

"So…" Al closed his eyes with a sigh.

After almost a minute of Al lying there without moving, eyes closed, Harry poked his side a little. "Hey, you? You falling asleep?"

"Nope."

"Was that real hard, what you did?"

"Definitely. Not just anyone can do it."

"Yeah?"

"Ever heard of elemental-leaning magic?"

"Um. Think so. Sounds familiar, at least."

"A lot of people don't believe in it, but it's definitely real. A lot of people also don't like to think of magic as being something you can link to an element, but for the most part, that's true, too. Not very simple, mind you, but kind of true. Sometimes it's obvious. Like fire spells being related to fire, and light spells being sort of between fire and air, and cooling charms mostly being related to air. That sort of thing."

"So, you lean towards… air? The sound spinner thingy?"

"Yep, sound spinner thingy. And that's official. I'm the dude that does the sound spinner thingy."

Harry giggled a little.

"It's not exactly super special, the air leaning; it just means I'm more adept with certain spells. Okay, I take that back. It's not exactly super special with _me_. Some people are really attuned to a particular type of magic, so much so that they have direct control over the element the magic is connected to. I just sort of influence air a bit."

"And you have to be connected to air to do the sound spinning thing?"

"Yeah. Because of the influence. It's not easy actually making a sound itself a part of a spell. Making sound effect a spell, certainly. A big part of magic. But actually a part of the spell, not so easy."

"Way cool."

"Way cool," Al agreed.

"And it's way hard?"

Al laughed. "It's hard. I wouldn't say way hard."

"Hey, Al, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, kid."

"Why was that man Derek giving me unpleasant looks?"

"Ah… Derek doesn't like kids. And he doesn't like people underfoot when we're trying to ward. And I'm sure he really didn't like a kid underfoot while we were trying to ward."

"Was I? Mr. John and I tried to stay out of the way."

"And you did. Stay out of the way. Very well. I didn't even notice you were there, and I was the one with the most right to complain. When you're working sound into something, unexpected noises can really throw things off. But you weren't distracting at all."

"I tried not to be."

"You did very well. And your magic wasn't distracting, either."

"I didn't do any magic."

"No, your magical signature. It's sort of like a magical fingerprint. Children tend to have somewhat unstable signatures when they first start to learn magic. Yours was quite stable, though."

"Oh. Good then."

"But he just doesn't like kids in general. Says they're nasty little creatures, and that he ought to know, he was one."

Harry made a face. "Yeah, but that's not exactly belonging to a special club or something. Everyone's got a membership card to childhood, even if the card's pretty old."

Al laughed. "That's great. I'll have to remember that one the next time he complains."

"Hey, don't get me in trouble."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Better not. My mom will spoon ya."

He snorted. "So what's your gift, kid?"

"Not at liberty to say."

"Somehow I knew you'd say that."

Harry giggled.

"But hey, you're a pretty good kid, even if you're keeping the secrets."

"Thanks." Harry rolled his eyes. "You're a pretty good adult."

Al laughed and pushed himself up to drink the rest of his juice. "Your spell's still strong," he said with approval. "Give it a couple years and you'll get the free-floating light spell."

"But I should be able to do it now." He pouted and then twisted around to grin at Suntree. "Hey, Sun!"

Suntree finished coming around the side of the fort, into view. "Should be able to do what now?" he asked, perching next to Harry.

"The light sphere spell."

"Ah. Yes, I noticed you had a fair bit of trouble with that. Did you want to try my wand?"

"Nah. Yours isn't too much stronger."

"I've got a theory for you, Jame."

"Go for it."

"It's a pattern I've begun to notice with you. You're quick with simple spells, but anything more ritualized that requires careful pacing and movements and syllable pronunciation, things like that, and you start to ruin your success rate. Natural you may be, my dear, but all the answers, you don't have."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"Ah. So he's a natural at magic?"

"Sunny…" Harry whined. "You weren't supposed to say that. You're ruining my air of mystery and mystique."

"I'm ruining your mystery and your air of mystery?"

"Uh… don't logic at me." Harry stuck out his tongue.

Suntree ruffled his hair. "Yes, he's a natural magic-user."

Harry huffed.

"Makes sense," Al said with a smile. "With a little bit of magic sensing, as well, I'd imagine."

"Perhaps."

"I'm still here you know. Like, sitting right here. Right here, in front of you. Completely right here."

"Yes, I'd rather noticed you there, breathing my air."

Harry stuck his tongue out again.

"And lucky you, John's going to start putting more focus on ritualized magic during your fall tutoring."

"Hm…"

"And, Alaris-"

"Al, please," Al interrupted. "Al."

"Al, would you consider coming in sometime and talking to Jamie about air magic?"

"Huh, well-"

"Say yes!"

"I'll have to-"

"Say yes!"

"Look at my-"

"Say yes!"

"He'll keep that up endlessly until you say yes," Suntree put in mildly.

"Sure, yes."

"Yes!" Harry laughed in delight.

"Good luck," Suntree told Al solemnly.

"Er… Do I need it?"

Harry sat back with a grin. "Don't be silly."

"And yet, somehow… that makes me more nervous."

Harry grinned even more.


	12. Chapter 12

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Harry Potter? It… seems to ring a bell, somewhere… But surely this doesn't involve me? I'm writing a story about a kid named Jamie Featheridge. No Harry Potters here. Just lots of Jamie… That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Reviews make me squeak like a mouse with the utmost joy.

Review Responses: Up through last chapter on Ygroup.

Things covered in this response: Info about Harry at school and having friends; mention about Laney's husband; question as to Laney having a current love interest; bonus info on wands, wandless magic; Harry using his wand/other peoples; wand preferences; Tony has a watch with a button on his wrist (oops); Harry and flying; Al's sticking around; PR9 means...; Mr. John's leg curse; response - liking the warding scene; Harry loves magical theory; response - Shadow Lighthawk's thoughtful review i.e. hyper Harry, sporfle'ness, Laney; response to webweaver regarding britpicker help; response to Mischief Managed for a thoughtful review; 80s flashback - TV shows/movies that Harry saw/loved

AN: BRITPICKER – Still looking. I'm hoping that by looking early enough I won't have to stop writing in a month or so when I actually really need it…

AN2: Layout of Terry's apartment in Photos section on Ygroup for those interested.

BETAS: They make the world go 'round. Seriously. Cookies go to Jynx67 and Andrea. Megan, too!

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 12

* * *

Laney glanced into the kitchen, paused for a moment, and then continued into the living room with a puzzled expression. "Um, Cam?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm a little lost. Just when did Al become a fixture in the house?"

"About the time Al introduced Jamie to extreme tickle wrestling," Cam said, rolling her eyes.

"Because I only just now realized, as I walked by the kitchen and saw Al eating my pie, that he seems to be around here just about as often as you are."

"Does it bother you?"

"Not really," Laney said with a shrug. "Jamie seems to really like him."

"They get along pretty well." Cam snorted. "Probably because Al's really a twelve year old inside."

"Well, he has a certain charm to him…"

"Until he opens his mouth and starts hitting on you. Very badly." Cam snorted. "I have never heard pickup lines as bad as his in my entire life."

"Huh. He hasn't done that with me."

"He's probably terrified of… The Spoon!" Cam threw her arms out in a wide, dramatic gesture, then fell back against the couch laughing. "You did whack him upside the head with it."

"He used the F- word," Laney said with steel in her voice.

"And he certainly hasn't dared since."

"That's the point."

Cam sniggered.

"But, you know, for all his roughhousing and sometimes less than acceptable language, he's really good with Jamie."

"He comes from a big family." Cam shrugged. "Pennsylvania, I think. I think he's got, like, seven siblings and an army of cousins."

Laney stared at her. "Are you serious?"

"Very. Most of the family is non-magical, but they've had just enough magical family over the years that most of the family is in the know."

Laney shrugged. "Pickup lines and adolescent behavior aside, there are worse fixtures we could have about."

"And Al is slightly less annoying than a dog," Cam said cheerfully. "That's a plus."

Laney opened her mouth and then shut it, shaking her head.

"What? See? You can't argue."

"I guess we'll have to let him stay," Laney said, ignoring Cam. "We'll have Suntree give him the talk."

"Dun, Dun, DUN!"

"That's enough out of you, Cam."

* * *

"You ever windboard?" Al asked, idly tossing a soccer ball up and down.

Harry sprawled out on the fort with a grunt, being sure to wriggle under its second tier and out of the sunshine to cool off. A muttered cooling charm also went a long way to helping. "No. Kinda know what it is, though. Perry, a friend of mine, we write and stuff, he talks about sports and games a lot. He doesn't know who I really am, though."

"Yeah. I found out in May."

"Don't sound so smug." Harry rolled his eyes. "It was only two weeks ago."

"Anyway, want to try windboarding?"

"I'd sure love to. But you have to get Mom's permission first. So, no windboarding for the Jamie. He is the sad."

Al grunted. "Yeah… that'll never happen. Sorry, kid. She still looks like she wants to stop you from going flying with Sunny every week and that's so much safer."

"Yeah, because whipping around on a broom at seventy miles per hour thirty feet off the ground, that's safe," Harry said sarcastically, flinging out an arm towards the porch. Half a dozen seconds later, a cold bottle of water smacked into his hand.

"Hey, you know when you put it that way-"

"Because zipping around, standing on a five foot long board at seventy miles per hour, thirty feet off the ground, that's even safer. She'll totally endorse that."

"You're a rain cloud. See my sad parade? Stop raining on it."

"But it'd be so awesome if I could learn." Harry sat up just enough to take a drink of water. "Be so awesome."

"Your mother lets Cam and Sunny smack you around," Al offered after almost a minute of silence.

Harry rolled his eyes, and knowing Al couldn't see it, reached out to poke him in the leg for emphasis. "Teaching a new form of martial arts does not equal smacking around. Honestly."

"Did you succeed in begging John to teach you more ritualized magic? Now that you realize it's completely way cool."

"No," Harry pouted. "He says I can wait. But I want to learn now."

"Don't look at me. So far, I'm just signed up to be 'in the know', dun, dun, dun! They're taking their sweet time approving my new security clearance."

"So weird."

"That you require levels of clearance?"

"Totally weird."

"You're just a special little snowflake." Al summoned a bottle of water and tossed the soccer ball at Harry. Harry caught it with a levitation charm and lazily spun it around above his head.

"You're a lucky little snowflake, too," Al remarked after watching Harry for a few moments.

"Hm?"

"Kids aren't allowed to just do magic like that. Not without adult supervision."

"You're an adult. At least, you're old enough to be an adult. Seems to count."

"Hah, hah." Al flicked some water at Harry and went back to slumping against the side of the fort. "This doesn't count as adult supervision. You just _do_ magic. Sure, you get tutoring and all of that, but you use magic like an adult would use magic. You don't ask and no one pays much attention to you when you do it."

"No one's ever told me not to," Harry said, shrugging a little. He shrugged a few more times to scratch a sudden itch on his shoulder.

"I'd imagine not. You seem pretty responsible with it."

"Magic wouldn't be very happy with me if I weren't."

Al studied him thoughtfully.

"Hey, you gonna come to my gymnastics thing in a couple weeks?"

"Sure, wouldn't miss it. Sounds way cool."

Harry giggled.

"You excited about non-magical school getting out?"

"Totally, definitely and completely."

"Because it means you have more time to practice magic?"

"Yeah. And also, Suntree and Cam say they're going to really try teaching me some self defense type stuff. Like physical stuff. They've been going pretty easy on me, you know, but I think you've convinced them I'm not going to, like, break, or something."

"Me?"

"Super extreme tickling."

"Ah."

"And I swear, Al, if you come over here while I'm resting, I will hit you with so many tickling charms you'll forget what day of the week it is. For a week."

"From you, kid, that's a potent threat."

"Thank you."

"Oh, Laney told me she's decided to give you permission to visit my family, if you still want to. Caveat, Sunny's gotta go."

"Dude, who uses the word caveat like that? Seriously?"

"I just did."

"Don't. Seriously. And yeah, Mom mentioned that. That will be way awesome. Your cousins sound super cool."

"They are. But you'll have to lay off the magic while you're there."

"I know. Sun talked to me about it. Your family knows about magic, but they know kids aren't supposed to use magic, and definitely not kids as young as I. No, me. As young as me. Or is it I?"

"Who cares?"

"Eh."

"So, does the visit still sound super fun?"

"Totally super fun."

"Hm…"

"Stop eyeing me. I will _not_ be tickled while I'm relaxing."

Al snorted.

"And that's a fact, jack. Turtle power."

Al snorted again.

* * *

"It's Terry! Terry, Terry, Terry, Terry!" Harry bear hugged Terry's waist with a shout.

"I think I've been missed," Terry said dryly, hugging back with a fond smile.

"No, not at all," Suntree told him blandly from the living room doorway. "He's completely bummed you're back."

"Shut up, Sunny."

"You're back just in time," Harry told him with excitement. "Come on!"

"Where am I coming, and why am I back just in time?"

"We're going to a movie! We're going to see Willow! And you can help me find my shoes."

Terry snorted. "Accio Jamie's shoes."

"Eeep!" Harry hid behind Terry. A moment later a dozen pair of shoes smacked Terry in quick succession.

"Ow…"

"Totally why I didn't do that," Harry said from behind Terry, peering around cautiously. "Duh."

Suntree rolled his eyes. "Smooth."

"Ow. Shut up, Sunny. Or else."

"Oh, there they are!" Harry crouched down to fish out a pair of sneakers.

"Or else? What are you going to do? Attack me with shoes?" Suntree raised a brow.

"What's going on down there? There had better not be a mess when I get down there!"

"Nothing, Mom! Everything's under control!"

"I'll believe that when I see it," Laney grumbled.

Harry looked expectantly at Terry.

"What?"

"What? Shoes, all over the hall, making a mess?"

"You've gotten brattier since I left." Terry pulled his wand and sent the shoes flying upstairs to Harry's room.

"Movie!" Harry gave an excited bounce, ignoring Terry's remark. "Sun says I'll find the magic really interesting. And we can have a magic theory discussion over dinner! Mom said she'd make spaghetti for the momentous occasion." He rolled his eyes. "So she's being sarcastic, but I still get spaghetti. So I win."

Terry snorted. "Sounds like I came back just in time."

"Totally."

* * *

"Laney."

"Hey, Sunny," Laney greeted absently. "Cam and Al are out with Jamie. Frankly, I'm amazed that he managed to talk Cam into it, or that he managed to get Al to behave, or both. But since you're here, come look at these photos. My freelance work has been picking up in the past year and I really think I've got something here with these desert scenes."

Suntree came into the room, but stopped short of the desk. "I'd like to talk to you about something serious."

She put down the stack of photos. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing entirely wrong, per se. Just something I want you to be aware of, related to a request I have."

"All… right…" Laney gave him a half wary look as she stood and went to sit in the chair beside the desk. Suntree pulled the armchair over with a little wave of magic.

"Don't let this worry you, but we've picked up some rumors here and there that there're some people who believe Harry Potter is in America."

Laney pressed a hand over her mouth. "What- how? I thought you said the Aurors were secure!"

"They are. The USAS is secure. We think… the rumors originated from England."

"But… hardly anyone knows that… Just… Dumbledore and whoever he told…"

"All it takes is one wrong overheard conversation. It might not even seem important and the information could be remarked on idly a half a dozen times before just the right person hears it and begins to wonder." Suntree gave her a reassuring smile. "I can almost guarantee that this isn't some malicious attack from anyone over there. It's not some tactic to draw Jamie back to England. The rumors are too vague for that to be the case."

"So…?"

"I just wanted you to be aware. I felt you had the right to know. I don't want you to think of the USAS as a group that's going to make your decisions for you and decide what you should and shouldn't know about Jamie."

"I- yes. Thank you. Should I…?"

"Yes?"

"Be concerned?"

"No. Perhaps slightly more cautious. Perhaps not. You do a very fine job of protecting him as it is. He has some of the best wards possible and he hardly goes anywhere unfamiliar unless he's with one of the Aurors. He's considerably secure for someone who's actually not under threat of anything."

"Okay." She nodded slowly. "Good. I trust you."

"Thank you. That means a lot."

"You said you had something related to that?"

"Yes. You already know we're teaching him alternate martial arts and more defensive magic, but given this information – which, I repeat, is not a real concern, but serves more as a reminder to continue to remain vigilant – we'd like to work with him a little more intensively. Really try and push him in his martial arts and self defense. Because, if the extremely unlikely and unthinkable occurs, I would personally feel better knowing Jamie has a chance at dealing with a threat if we're not there to protect him."

Laney swallowed. "So you want to…"

"Really train him. I want him to be able to stand against one of us long enough that if he really were threatened he could protect himself long enough for real help to arrive."

"How will that change things? I don't want him to become some sort of- of-"

"He won't."

Laney gave him a half exasperated look. "You don't even know what I was going to say."

"No, but I know what you're feeling. He's not going to become some sort of super kid Auror trainee or anything else. He's just going to be very capable of taking care of himself. Terry said he'd be by later to talk to you about it. It's very similar to what they do with the children of the MP – Magical President. Though, Jamie will be a little better trained at the end of the day, given his natural aptitude for learning magic and his background in physical activity."

Laney gave him a look. "I do _not_ want him to get hurt."

"Believe me, the last thing I would ever enjoy doing is causing that child pain. He's like a son to me. Or a grandson. Family. I care for him. And I love him. It's hard not to. I don't want to hurt him, but to keep him safe… Bruises, cuts, scrapes, soreness, that's all I foresee for the level of training we want to give him." Suntree gave her a vaguely amused look. "And little boys hardly need any help getting into that sort of trouble."

Laney sighed, smiling faintly. "No, they don't."

"But… If he has fun training and he wants to learn more, if he wants to learn things that are a little more dangerous… It's entirely your call, of course. Just don't be too hasty to say no."

"Why?"

"He's safe here, right now, with us. But one day, he'll be older and he'll have to be Harry Potter, not Jamie Featheridge. You're already well aware that there're people in England who hate him for his part in ending the civil war there, for representing an end to the so-called 'age of dark magic' that accompanied the civil war.

"But that's not the end of it. There're people who hate him, or will hate him, because he's a celebrity, because he stands for something, because he's popular and powerful, for any other reason under the sun. Hatred and violence are nasty things and he'll be a prime target, no matter what he does. Harry Potter is a public figure, whether Jamie intends to be or not. I want him to be able to take care of himself."

Laney leaned back with a heavy sigh, closing her eyes. "I have to admit, Suntree," she said softly, "I'd worried a lot before all of this started with the USAS. I'd worried that the one thing I'd be depriving him of by taking him away was some sort of education designed to prepare him for being Harry Potter. Celebrity, public figure, target, everything. I'm sure that was a part of Dumbledore's plan, and that was one part I would have entirely agreed with.

"I don't like the idea of my baby learning all of this extra defense stuff, but I do like the idea of him being able to keep himself safe, no matter what. He just has to be happy. That was even more important than Dumbledore's plan." She sat up with a fierce expression, weariness replaced by protective anger. "And that goes for you, too. You got that? He'd better be happy with what he's learning. The minute you make that little boy unhappy is the minute you'd better stop."

"I understand and completely agree. We're showing him how to protect himself, not training a soldier."

* * *

"You're being too easy on him."

Suntree glanced over at Al, then to the backyard again. There were several large mats with cushioning charms on them spread out on the ground, and Cam was pinning Harry down on them, testing his ability to get away from someone without resorting to magic. It wasn't going too well.

"You're being too easy on him," Al repeated. "I'm serious. Trust me."

"Oh?"

"I come from a huge family. Cousins, brothers, hel-ck, even sisters. You're treating him like he's made of glass, compared to some of the friendly tussles I've gotten into with my family over the years."

"Hm."

"Sunny-"

"I heard you."

"Hell-"

"Heck," Suntree corrected.

"Heck, I'm rougher with the kid when we tickle wrestle. He's a little boy, not a china doll."

"Think you could do better?"

"And you know what? You got Cam out there almost every time."

"She's less likely to hurt him."

"But it's _Cam_. He'll get it one day, but he's seven, eight in under a month. And Laney's raised the boy right. You think he's going to really feel comfortable trying to hit or bite or kick a girl? And before you argue, yes, magic is different. He doesn't mind walloping her with a spell. But you've got to admit, he does go easier on her than he does anyone else. And she goes easier on him, too. Terry's better, but Terry's not used to playing rough and tumble with a kid."

"Think you could do better?"

"Hell yes. And don't correct my language."

"Then go on, get out there. Let's see it. And if you hurt him, Laney will likely castrate you. Have fun."

Al gave him a dirty look and walked out into the yard. "Hey there. Since you're in the middle of a break, I thought I'd come out and relieve Cam."

Cam gave him an odd look and glanced over at Suntree. Suntree gave a slight nod. Cam shrugged. "Sure." She rolled off the mat and got to her feet. "I need a break."

Harry grinned a little. "Hey, Al."

"Hey, kid." He dropped down on the mat beside Harry. "Got some new rules for you, kid."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. The rule is you get away."

"Uh… Isn't that the goal?"

"Rule and goal."

"Um. What?"

"All I ask is that you watch the elbows and kindly let me keep the ability to have children."

Harry giggled.

"So, think you can handle that?"

"Sure."

"Caught your breath?"

"Yep."

Al nodded, and then shifted with a grin to pounce Harry. He became a squirming monster within seconds, but not quite monster enough.

"You've got hands and feet," Al told him, restraining him more easily than Cam had. "Fingernails, teeth. In theory, you can head butt, please don't, and elbow, please don't, and in general any part of your body that can be moved, you move it and keep moving it until you get away. Got that?"

"Yeah."

"Really got it?"

"Yes."

"Definitely got it?"

In answer, Harry shifted and rammed his shoulder against Al's chest, digging his fingernails into the arm around him as he wriggled and then rolled out of easy reach. He watched Al with wary concern from the other side of the mat as Al sat up and rubbed his chest.

"Well. You got the picture." He looked at his arm; it wasn't bleeding, but there were small, red crescents that didn't look like they'd go away too soon. "You certainly got the picture."

"So it's okay?"

"Okay? It's great. You keep that up."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Yeah? I don't want to hurt you either. But I'm not going to worry about leaving bruises or scrapes. We have healing potions. We'll make good use of them. Is that okay with you?"

Harry considered that, and then nodded slowly.

"Then get back over here. We'll try it again."


	13. Chapter 13

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: I am a figment of your imagination. Therefore, if you think I own Harry Potter, it's only in your head.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Really do make the writer write. And if they make me think and consider responses, works out even better.

Review Responses: Responses only up through chapter 11. I haven't even checked chapter 12 yet. I like to wait until I'm near ready to post the next part before I look at them. I do not foresee review responses until maybe after the next chapter is posted, however, as I only got seven reviews last chapter and I don't think a good response they'll make.

AN: BRITPICKER – Please?

BETAS: Are the awesome. Happy dances for Jynx67 and Andrea. Megan, too!

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 13

* * *

Laney winced and sighed as Harry came into the kitchen, his cheek puffed up and bleeding. She pushed the waiting cup of potion in his direction and he plopped into the nearest chair before picking it up and downing it in one continuous swallow. He put the cup down with a look of disgust.

"That's the price of that kind of healing," Suntree said mildly from behind Harry. "Gross taste."

Laney glanced up at Suntree and found herself staring in shock. He had a bruise starting to form on his cheek, and there was a strip of bloody cloth wrapped around his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Kid's quick." Suntree picked up the second cup of potion and downed it. "And he's picking up the nasty curses even quicker."

Harry tipped his head back to give Suntree an innocent smile. "They're fun."

"I still can't believe you turned that hair brushing charm into an offensive attack," Terry muttered as he came in from outside, rubbing his forehead with a look of pain.

Laney pushed over another cup with even wider eyes. "What on earth happened out there?"

"We took Al's advice," Suntree answered blandly, easing over to the farther chair. Laney noticed he was limping, though with each step it got better. "Didn't go full strength against him, of course, but we didn't play as nice as we usually do."

"Turns out when you don't play nice with Jamie, he doesn't play nice back." Terry sat down with a wince. "I think my tailbone is bruised."

"Don't be such a big baby." Harry gave him a look. "That's what happens when you hit me with a _spanking_ charm. I'm not a baby."

"You most certainly are not." Terry gave him a somewhat hard look. "I shall take that under advisement."

"You know I love you, Terry."

Terry's expression softened and then he laughed. "Who knew? An eight year old is keeping me on my toes more effectively than any of my sparring partners."

"I'll be eight in two weeks," Harry informed him. "I'm still seven right now."

Terry gave him a look. "I love how you're practically eight when you want to prove you're an adult, but you're sure to remind everyone you're not quite eight yet when you want to highlight the fact you're kicking our butt and you're only seven."

Harry gave them all a cheeky grin.

"Is it safe to assume that you'll be stocking the house with healing and pain potions in the very near future?" Laney asked mildly in Suntree's direction, though her attention was on the cut on Harry's cheek that was fading away fast.

"I think that's a definite yes."

"I think my brain's been combed," Terry muttered into his healing potion.

* * *

"Terry, Cam, and I have noticed something about Jamie."

"Why does it seem that more and more often conversations are starting this way?" Laney sighed.

"Because more and more often, Jamie's doing things that require we have a chat," Suntree said with a slight shrug.

"It's no big deal," Cam reassured.

"Well, let's hear it," Laney told them. "What'd he do now?"

"There's this theory that magic boosts other abilities," Suntree said. "More in point, physical abilities. Some people believe it, some people don't. It's a bit tricky… If you start learning magic at a young age, but aren't using your full potential, you'll sort of have magic left over and it's kind of like having… something inside that wants nothing more than to be useful. So it starts to boost other things you're doing regularly, like physical activity. So-"

"I can see where this is going," Laney interrupted dryly.

Suntree chuckled. "Yes, quite. We've noticed that, as with all things, this seems to be the case for Jamie."

"Explain further."

"Basically, his magic is giving him the capability to learn physical things, such as his martial arts, gymnastics and various physical defenses, more quickly and to pick up the lessons with ease. That's why he's so good at those things. Mind you, he'd be good on his own, without the boost. This boost hasn't completely taken over his ability. He just wouldn't be as good as he is right now, not quite as fast or capable, if not for that boost."

"It might also be giving him a learning curve in spells and theory and even his non-magical school work," Cam put in with a shrug. "But that's not nearly as easy to test, and even most supporters of the theory of magic boosting physical ability would be hard pressed to say that those other things are affected."

"So?" queried Laney.

"We think it'd do him good to actually learn those skills without the aid of his magic. It might even be better for his body for it to work up to his magic boosted level, just in case there's some sort of strain being put on him." Suntree shrugged a little. "It's possible he may be doing things his body isn't actually comfortable doing, but the magic is making up for it and protecting him."

"But protecting him or not, it's still not good in a strictly physical sense," Terry said firmly.

"So what is there to be done?" Laney asked. "There has to be something; you're all but waving signs saying you have an idea."

Suntree's mouth twitched. "I could conjure one, if you like."

Laney rolled her eyes. "Just explain, thank you."

"There is, you're right. We have suppression charms we can use to keep the magic under the skin, unable to be used." Suntree raised his brows slightly. "We had to develop them because we promote so much wandless magic. In other places, especially the European countries, just taking someone's wand almost ensures you leave them without magic. Not so here."

"So what we'd do," Terry put in, holding up a pair of silver chain-link bracelets, "is give him these to wear. We'd try one, but I strongly suspect we'll need two before it's all said and done. They'll fit snugly and not feel like they're in the way; these are training bracelets. And they can be hidden, so he can use them in karate and gymnastics if it comes to that."

"And it'll be good for him?"

"Yes. And if he actually improves himself to the level he should be at, his magic will start to boost him up again after a while."

"Won't that bring us back to the same problem, though?"

"And that will bring us back to the same solution."

Laney shrugged. "For once I have no problem saying yes to the idea. As long as he agrees."

"Of course."

* * *

"Wow…"

"No kidding," Cam muttered.

Al shook his head. "What happened to sunshine and giggles?"

"Apparently Jamie without magic is a very grumpy Jamie."

Harry gave them both a dark look. "Are you talking about me?"

"Not really."

"Good work out there," Cam told him a little too brightly.

Harry glared at them, rubbing his sore shoulder. "This freaking _sucks_."

"But surely you see that it's necessary for you to actually have these skills and not depend on your magic to boost you," Suntree said calmly, giving Harry a mild look from where he was sitting on the other side of the emptied living room. Harry turned his glare on Suntree.

"Okay, I'm done." Terry got up from the mat, pressing a hastily summoned handkerchief to his bleeding lip. "Al, your turn."

"What?"

"Have fun."

Al shot a glance at Suntree, but Suntree just raised a brow slightly.

"What? You're afraid of an eight-year-old?" Harry gave him a look, crossing his arms over his chest. "And I can damn well say that. My birthday was three days ago."

"Jamie! You know better than to use language like that," Cam scolded. "That-"

"Cam, leave it," Suntree said shortly.

Cam gave Suntree a startled look. "What?"

"Leave it alone. We'll talk later."

"Come on," Harry snapped impatiently. "If I have to wear these damn bracelets, I will damn well do something with them on." Harry gave the bracelets a look of pure disgust.

Suntree held up a forestalling hand to the others again, then looked to Harry. "You can take them off, Jamie," Suntree told him. "You're not being forced to wear them."

Harry kicked at one of the pillows spread out on the mats. It went flying against an empty bookshelf, making it rock a little. "I freaking suck with them on," he growled, glaring at the pillow slowly sliding off of the shelf it'd landed on.

"You don't suck. You just aren't as good as you normally are," Suntree explained calmly. "And your 'not as good' is still quite good, all things considered."

Harry glared at Suntree. Suntree gave him an even milder look than usual in return.

"I suck."

Suntree gave in with a shrug. "Fine, you suck."

"He's eight," Al muttered to Cam. "Why am I feeling nervous?"

"Um… Because an Auror bodyguard has a split lip right now?"

"Yeah, that probably has something to do with it."

"Al!" Harry shot him an impatient look.

"Coming." Al eased onto the mats and gave Harry a little smile. "Watch the elbows, huh?"

Harry bared his teeth at him.

"Please?"

"I think," Terry muttered to Cam, voice distorted by the bloody handkerchief pressed to his mouth, "that there is no question that Jamie can sense magic very strongly. He's entirely too cross about not having his magic within reach for him to not have a deeper connection to it."

"I think," Cam muttered back as Al's back hit the mats, "there is no 'I think' about it."

* * *

"So what's the deal with the language?" Cam demanded.

Suntree paused in directing the furniture back into the living room, giving Cam a mild look. "He's frustrated."

"So? That's no reason for him to start-"

"Actually, it is."

"Laney will freak out if he starts talking like that and we'll all get in trouble and-"

"Cam," Suntree broke in curtly. "He won't. Not outside of the sessions when he's wearing the bracelets."

Cam crossed her arms and gave Suntree a hard look.

"Cameron, it's a proven fact that cuss words carry more power than regular words of frustration. There's something more emotional and primal to it that science doesn't really understand, but science or not, there's no denying that magic sensors pick up little bursts of magic coming off of someone when they cuss in anger, frustration, whatever. You should know this. They cover it in basic training."

"He's eight."

"Yes, I know. But that doesn't change the fact that every 'damn' he says, he's letting off some of the magical pressure he's under. As far as I'm concerned, he can say whatever he wants when he's wearing those bracelets."

Cam glared half-heartedly.

"That's not to say that I'm going to in any way encourage him when those bracelets are off. He is eight."

"If Laney hears him, you're explaining it," Cam told him shortly.

* * *

"I'm going to watch Princess Bride!" Harry grabbed the tape and dashed into the living room.

"Again?" Laney called back.

"Yes!"

"You just got it a couple days ago. You could let the tape have a break for a day."

"But it's Westley! And sword fighting! And Westley! He's the Dread Pirate Roberts! And it's got R.O.U.S.'s! That's awesome!"

"Okay, okay. I'm going to continue doing bills."

"Have fun!"

"Whatever."

Harry sniggered as he put the tape in and settled on the couch with a grin, snorting to himself as the kid complained about books.

"Watching that again, huh?"

Harry gave a slight start and twisted around to look over the back of the couch. Cam was watching him with an amused, though slightly cautious, smile. "Yeah! Wanna watch? I won't bite."

Cam raised her brows. "Terry has bruises on his arm that look suspiciously like your teeth to disprove that statement."

"Psh! Sit! I command thee thusly!"

Cam snorted and came in to slouch down beside him, bumping her shoulder against his amiably. Harry snicker giggled to himself as he rewound the movie a little and then started it playing again.

"Buttercup looks silly," Harry announced, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her order Westley around the farm. "I mean, look at that! She's _flouncing_."

Cam snorted.

"Seriously! Who flounces? No one."

"Actually-"

"Nope," Harry interrupted. "Anyone who flounces is stripped of their right of being a someone, I declare it thus. Unless they're doing it to make fun, and in that case they deserve an award. Or bubblegum at the least."

"Are we having a dictator day today?"

"Psh. And she's not all that pretty, you know. You're even prettier than her."

Cam gave him a look, bumping his shoulder again. "Watch it, sweet talker."

"I mean, like, because she's supposedly the prettiest person in the land and whatever else. But she's not. I mean, seriously. She's not that pretty."

"Watch the movie, monkeypants."

Harry watched with a growing frown and then hmphed. "Murdered by pirates isn't good when it's someone as cool as Westley," Harry muttered. "The grandson is stupid."

"It's a story."

"And what kind of name is Humperdinck?" Harry scoffed, ignoring her.

"What kind of name is Buttercup?"

"Seriously! It's a cow name. And she's _still_ not pretty. Humperdinck is prettier than her, and that's sad. But I do kind of like that red dress thing. That's pretty."

"That is a very pretty dress," Cam agreed, settling an arm around him with fondly. He leaned into her.

"I like the rhyming, though. That's fun. Suntree can quote that entire section already. It makes me laugh. Sunny says one day I'll be able to quote it, too, and when I do, there will be celebration in the streets. And by that, I think he means he'll go stand in the street and say 'woo' or something."

Cam snorted.

After a little while, Harry sniggered. "'I wonder if he's using the same wind we are using.'" He shook his head. "Man. Well, at least he's not too awful looking. And he's got some cool awesome fencing skills. All he's got going for him."

Cam gave Harry an amused look.

"Hey! I want to learn to climb a rope like Westley! Will you teach me?"

"Talk to Sunny."

"Okay," Harry chirped. He shook his head with a heavy sigh. "Buttercup's kind of worthless." He giggled. "'Inconceivable! You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.'"

Cam rolled her eyes. "Are you going to comment on the entire movie?"

"No." Harry grinned. "Just most of it."

Cam sighed a little, but was glad to see Harry in better spirits than he had been lately. "Well, at least you're amusing."

Harry grinned. "Poor Inigo, he has to use his sword in his left hand to feel challenged." Harry cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. Hey! Maybe I should learn to use a wand left-handed?"

"Talk to Sunny."

"'That does put a damper on our relationship!'" He laughed. "Those boots are way cool. Can I have a pair of Westley boots?"

"We'll see."

"I want to learn to sword fight."

"Talk to Sunny."

Harry stuck out his tongue at Cam. "Now shh, no talking during the fight."

Cam gave him an amused look. "Whatever."

"Think all those weird terms are real? Agrippawoowha? I can't even follow it!"

"Talk to Sunny. What happened to not talking during-?"

"Shh."

Cam rolled her eyes.

"Westley is awesome. And guess what? Go on, guess. Westley isn't left handed either!" Harry giggled. "That's so going to be me when I grow up."

"As a ninja turtle."

"…Yes." Harry nodded at the television. "Humperdinck is entirely silly. But I want to be able to just look at stuff and say 'this happened!'"

"Talk to Sunny."

"And-"

"Hush kid."

Harry pouted.

"Hush a bit, at least."

"Okay!" Harry snuggled into Cam's side a little more. "I can't believe Westley fell for the 'oh, what's that?' pointing trick." Harry shook his head. "Not even I would fall for that."

"I imagine it happens to us all."

"Not me. But, oh, you think he knew and did it on purpose so he could be all clever with the powder and stuff?"

"Maybe."

"Hey! I want to build up an immunity to stuff."

Cam's mouth twitched. "Talk to Sunny."

"You know… Westley looks really awesome in black."

Cam gave Harry an amused look. "I'm about two seconds away from throwing a silencing charm on you."

Harry gave her a wounded look, but went back to watching the movie, this time in silence. After several minutes of increasing fidgeting Cam gave up with a sigh.

"Fine, you can talk. A little."

"Buttercup is so useless! I mean, yeah, it's the dreaded fire swamp. But seriously! Don't be such a dummy, just sitting there with your dress on fire. And seriously! You're holding a big stick! Don't just poke at that rat thing! Smack it! Smack it dead! Beat the living monkey out of it!"

"Living monkey?"

"I so would not be useless in that swamp!" Harry ranted on, ignoring her. "I don't know what Westley sees in her. I mean, seriously!"

"Perfect breasts, apparently. Or so it says later in the movie."

"Ewww."

Cam snorted.

The silence stretched long enough that Cam was just settling into watching the movie when Harry piped up again. "You know, that Count guy is kind of creepy."

"Mm. Yes."

"Westley close up!" Harry said after another short while. "You know, he's got pretty intense eyes. Think they're really like that, or you think it's some sort of camera trick?"

"He does have intense eyes. They're probably enhanced, though."

"Yeah…" Harry began to giggle. "'Little head jiggle is supposed to make me happy, hm?'"

"Certainly makes me happy."

"Oh, Cam." Harry rolled his eyes and then pressed his face against the pillow, muffling more laughter. "Oh God… Merlin… That priest, his voice…"

"We actually have someone in the USAS who talks like that."

Harry gave her a wide-eyed look. "You can't be serious…"

"I am."

"Whoa… I can so never meet him. I would seriously not be able to breathe from laughing."

Cam snorted and shook her head with a grin.

"'Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.'" Harry grinned at Cam. "Best line ever."

"Mmhm. I get the feeling you'll be quoting this movie for years to come."

"Yep!"

"And here comes your favorite line," Cam teased. "The breasts line."

Harry made a face. "Eww."

Cam grinned.

"Ooh, I love this part. 'To the pain!' Must use, so awesome. And he's getting up! Because Westleys' always get up, that's the moral of the story."

"Is it now?"

"Yes."

Cam ruffled his hair. "You're adorable."

Harry made a face and tried to flatten hair that had never been flat in the first place. "And I _still_ don't know what he sees in her."

"It's a man thing," Cam said with a shrug.

"I won't be that way. Definitely not me."

Cam snickered. "You know, you may be right."

"Well, duh."

* * *

"Is it just me, or does he gets more pissed the longer he's wearing the bracelets?" Cam asked, watching Harry pace back and forth on the grass, looking uncannily like a caged tiger.

"He gets more pissed," Al groaned, holding a cold potion pack over his eye.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Shut up."

John silently handed a healing potion to Al, studying Harry. "Jamie."

"What!?"

"Come here, please."

Harry glared at them before trudging over, twisting one of the bracelets around his wrist with jerky movements. He stopped in front of John, still glaring, though in a less fierce way. "What?"

"Have some water. Try to calm down."

Harry grabbed the water from him but went back to pacing.

"No good." Suntree closed the back door and stopped at the edge of the porch, watching Harry. "I noticed it last week, when he didn't have the bracelets on. He doesn't handle anger very well; it makes him quick to act, reckless, hard to reason with. And that's without the bracelets on. The bracelets just make it worse."

"Fun," Al muttered.

"We need to work on his anger and foster his ability to focus around it."

"Double fun."

Behind them, the back door opened and Terry came out onto the porch, stopping momentarily to look at everyone with surprise. "Didn't realize everyone would be here today."

"We all just sort of meandered on over," Suntree said with a shrug. "Have a seat. I was just getting ready to bring something up."

Terry sat down, eyeing Harry for a moment with slight concern before looking back to Suntree.

"Something Al, John and I noticed in the last two months is that when he wears the bracelets, once he takes them off his magic almost seems to… burst through him. It's sort of like an accidental magic outburst, that intensity, but it's not coming off of him, it's staying inside of him. And it's definitely not sitting idle-"

"Fuck no," Al interrupted.

Suntree gave him a mild look. "I shall choose to ignore that because you're in pain. But no, it isn't sitting idle. The magic is rather active, in fact."

John let out a soft sigh. "As near as we can tell, Jamie is subconsciously influencing the magic… sort of giving it directions. It's almost as if he believes that the magic will be suppressed if he doesn't learn things without the magical boost, and his magic is responding accordingly." John idly tapped his cane against his boot. "Thus the response is for the magic to sort of… take whatever his body has just learned and help it sink in, like it's something he's been doing for weeks and has picked up from repetition, not something that he's only spent a few days on."

Cam stared at them. "Is that even _possible_?"

John shrugged a little. "Last week, I would have sworn up and down that it definitely wasn't. But I'm seeing the results of it with my very own eyes. Jamie never would've been able to land that punch on Al last week. He did today."

"He very much did," Al grumbled, shifting the potion pack carefully.

"But it's not taking away from his actual physical conditioning. That's definitely subconscious. Subconsciously, he seems to realize that the larger the difference between where magic has boosted him and where he actually physically is, the more he has to wear the bracelets."

Cam shook her head. "How is that even possible?"

John shrugged again. "I'm really not sure. But it must be; we're seeing it."

"So…" John tapped his cane. Suntree studied Harry.

"Oh." Al gently lifted the pack to glance over at them, to Harry and then back again. "Oh. If we… keep up the pattern of him wearing them and then not wearing them, that means he's learning things in months that it would take all year to teach him…"

"In theory," John said carefully.

"Which appears to be in fact, as well," Suntree added.

"Wait. What?" Cam gave them a puzzled look.

"When he has the bracelets on and learns something that he struggles with, it only takes several bracelet-on practices for his frustration and anxiety to call upon his magic to assist him," Suntree explained. "And by that I mean that when we have a bracelet-off session on the same material, his magic steps in and forces his body to condition itself much quicker than would be normal, helping him learn things faster and remember them better and, most importantly, boosting his body's physical conditioning so that it's a familiar action for the body, like he's been doing it for months."

"So if we were to set up an on and off schedule and have him wear the bracelets, say, three sessions in a row, covering the same material, and then we have him do two sessions without the bracelets, his body will be boosting him and he'll be learning something in a matter of weeks instead of months."

"Oh." Cam considered that, a little wide-eyed.

Al rested his head back, replacing the pack. "That would be an Auror's dream come true, to be able to learn that quickly."

"Yes," Suntree agreed neutrally.

"But…" Cam sat back with a sigh. "He's an eight-year-old boy."

"He is. A very determined eight-year-old boy," Suntree added.

"Who should have a choice in how this goes," Al put in, groping for his water.

Cam nudged Al's water away from him. "Not to mention Laney."

"There's also the fact that, well, he's really pissed off. We have to teach him how to use anger, not let it use him. This might prove to be the most efficient and safest way." John pushed Al's water over to his still questing hand.

"Something else to consider." Al took a careful sip of water without sitting up. Half of it went down his chin to soak his shirt.

"Have to talk to Harry about it," Terry put in. "And Laney."

Suntree nodded.

There was silence for a while. Harry stopped pacing and started kicking the mats.

"I'll talk to Laney," Suntree said at last.

"I'll get out there and try not to hurt the kid while trying to make sure he doesn't hurt me," Terry sighed, getting up and leaving his wand behind a little reluctantly.

* * *

"So you got them both to agree to the idea?" Al asked with surprise.

Suntree nodded, carefully cutting up his muffin.

"Really?"

Suntree nodded again.

"Wow."

"Though, we've all decided to wait until the first of the year to really pick up the bracelet on and off rotation. And we'll definitely hold off on the idea of provoking Jamie until he gets a little more used to the new bracelet schedule. We want to help him get over his frustration and anger, not drive him insane."

"That's good."

"And congratulations."

"Huh?"

Suntree gave him a mild smile. "You're the one that's best at irritating the hell out of the kid. You get to train with him the most."

Al groaned.


	14. Chapter 14

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Oh, if only Harry Potter were really mine, the fun I would have… oh yes, the fun I would have…

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: I like strawberry shortcake. But not the cake kind. I like real strawberry shortcake with biscuits. Top it with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream and it is delicious. Though the most amazing and unusual strawberry shortcake I've ever had was served with a cinnamon scone with homemade cinnamon whipped cream. It made me happy.

Review Responses: For chapter 12 and 13 are on the Ygroup.

Things covered in this response: Response to karlii about Harry roughhousing; What's going on with Dumbledore and the Order looking for Harry; Response to lisa about Harry perhaps obscuring his abilities when meeting strangers in the future and a little bit about Harry's abilities; Harry will start school in America when he's twelve (quite a bit to go before we get there); Response to karlii about prequel vs. prologue, the length of this story and why, advice on reviews

AN: BRITPICKER

AN2: For those of you who may have not realized this or noticed I feel the need to say two very, very important things.

First of all – this prequel is in fact a story in its own right and it will be very long. Very, very long. I want all of my wonderful readers to really get a sense of American magic and of Harry's family, friends, relationships and home life. They will be important later when he does go to Britain. Very, very long.

Second of all – this story is SLASH. That may not seem necessary to state at this point, but I've recently had a few people ask me about it privately, people who ought to have known. So: this story equals slash. That is all.

AN3: PLEASE NOTE – It will happen a fair bit in the story that Harry will be going off somewhere new, to meet people or stay over with a friend or get a specialized training or going to a party, etc. and I will write him going and then him chattering on about it afterward. Please don't think that his going somewhere means you'll see him there. You likely won't. This helps keep the story manageable and it cuts down on introducing a ton of new characters that won't stick around beyond the scene.

BETAS: Imaginary strawberry shortcake for Jynx67 and Andrea. Megan, too!

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 14

* * *

"When they gonna get here?" Harry asked eagerly.

Laney smiled fondly. "Dinner's at two, so everyone else has twenty minutes to get here."

Harry bounced on his toes as he nodded, then he twisted around. He almost ran into Kathy as he went to dash out of the room.

"Whoa there, kid. No rush. Dining room table looks good, by the way."

Harry beamed and then rushed around her anyway. In the living room, he peered out the window for several moments just to watch the snow before twisting around to study the twinkling Christmas tree. There was a pile of presents around it and Harry carefully rechecked all the tags to make sure everyone's presents were all together.

"Everything still there?"

Harry whirled around. "Terry!" He gave the man a crushing hug and pulled back with a grin. "Yup. Everything's there."

"Quite sure?"

"Definitely."

"Glad to hear it. I have some presents to add."

"I'll do it! I have it all organized just right and stuff."

Terry chuckled as he pulled out a bag and expanded it. He pulled out a dozen presents and Harry sighed when he saw them.

"You wrap these yourself?"

"I used a spell."

Harry eyed the crinkled wrapping paper, the uneven folds and the overall lumpiness of shapes that could and should have been nicely rectangular. "You did? A spell?"

"I did. A spell."

"Well… it's certainly the thought that counts."

"And the present beneath?" Terry grinned.

"Not as much as the thought," Harry told him firmly, sorting the presents out. Three of them were for Laney, the rest for him.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Mom's going to hit you with her spoon. She said no presents for her."

"I guess I'll just have to take it like a man," Terry told him.

Harry rolled his eyes again.

"It's just some magical stuff, to make some things easier for her," Terry confided quietly as he scooped Harry up in a hug. "It's more for the house and stuff, not really for her. Think she'll let me off lightly?"

"She might."

"It's rather cold out there, isn't it?" Suntree remarked mildly from the hallway.

Harry squeaked and wriggled to get down from Terry's hug. Once free, he dashed into the hall and gave Suntree a tight hug around the waist.

Suntree chuckled softly and bent enough to kiss his hair. "Hello there and Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas!"

"Hm… Is your volume control broken again?"

Harry eyed him with exasperation.

"I've got some presents for the tree."

"Really? For the tree? You're giving the tree presents? Really?"

"Don't be a smart ass," Suntree told him with a grin.

"Oh yeah, it's all the rage, you know," Terry added from the living room. "I mean, the tree works hard all season, supporting the weight of all those ornaments, risking life and limb with those strangling, burning lights, always-"

"Don't encourage him," Suntree interrupted.

"Yeah, don't encourage me," Harry piped up with a grin.

"And you…" Suntree rolled his eyes at Harry's super innocent look. "Here, put the presents where they belong. Pest."

Harry accepted the bag Suntree summoned and darted over to the tree to begin sorting. He tossed an exasperated look over his shoulder as Laney's pile continued to grow. "Mom said no presents."

"She knows about these."

"So I'm alone in my spooning?" Terry asked with mock-sadness.

"Take it like a man," Harry told him with a snort.

"Monster of a child, you are."

Harry stuck out his tongue and finished putting the presents in their piles.

"Jamie, I've got something for you in the kitchen."

Harry gave Suntree a curious look. "What is it?"

"It's the moon, riding a tricycle, wearing rain boots…" Suntree gave him a look. "It's in the kitchen. You'll know what it is as soon as you go into the kitchen and open it."

Harry bounced to his feet with a giggle and dashed to the kitchen. He slowed as his feet met the tiles and studied the wrapped box sitting on a kitchen chair. Harry gave Suntree a puzzled look as Suntree stopped in the kitchen doorway. "Why isn't it under the tree?"

"I felt you should open it now. And your mom agrees. And agreed to the present."

That piqued Harry's curiosity even more, as did the faint, odd smile Laney gave him when he glanced over.

"Yeah?"

"Just open it, brat," Laney told him with amusement.

Harry snickered and approached the box, studying it curiously. There seemed to be little holes along the sides, and when Harry picked it up something shifted a little strangely inside. Settling the box in the crook of his arm, he pried the lid off with his free hand and glanced inside eagerly. He gasped. "Really? Mom? Really, seriously?"

"Really. And don't forget to thank Sunny."

Harry put the box down with extreme care and then turned and all but threw himself at Suntree. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Of course." He hugged back a moment longer, then gave Harry a little nudge. "Go on."

Harry broke away eagerly to go stare into the box, wide eyed. His present stirred and looked up at him.

"I bought her from a magical pet store," Suntree said. "She's not magical, though. They said her name is Serish, but I'm sure you'll find out what she thinks her name is soon enough."

"They don't really have names," Harry said absently, glancing over at Suntree for a second and then back to the snake. "It's more like descriptions for themselves. "What I call her in another language won't matter."

"Going to say hello to her?"

Harry nodded slowly and leaned in to hiss a soft hello. The snake tensed, then relaxed and hissed out a query that Harry answered enthusiastically. He forgot all about the room until Suntree cleared his throat.

"Jamie?"

"Yes?"

"Jamie, try English. I don't understand 'ssssstheh'."

Harry looked up in surprise, blinking. "…Yes? Wait. Cow's bottom?"

Suntree was silent a second. "What?"

"Um… I think that's what you just said. Give me a cow's bottom…"

Suntree stared at him. "You're making that up."

"Maybe you said you _were_ a cow's bottom," Harry mused.

"Jamie?"

"What?"

"Take your new friend into the living room and get acquainted there, please. Thank you."

"Oh. Yeah, I can do that." He gathered the snake very gently, after asking permission, and carried her carefully out to the living room.

"Whoa." Terry sat up with interest. "You have a snake."

"I do," Harry told him with a wide grin, sitting next to him. "She's called Serish. That's the name she knows from the pet shop." He settled her gently on his lap to pet her. "And she sort of recognizes it, so I'm not going to change it. She's a ball python. Isn't she beautiful?"

Terry nodded. "Very."

"She says she's not a magical snake, but they bred and raised her with magic to be more intelligent, and she's very glad that her companion can speak to her. She says she can't quite understand the sound vibrations we make, by that she means what we're saying, but that she's got a pretty good feel of the vibrations you feel inside, by that she means emotions. She says she feels much more aware of herself now that she's talking to me than she did before. Isn't that interesting? I'm going to ask Mr. John about it."

Terry chuckled. "She seems to have a lot to say."

"She does."

"You two will get along very well."

Harry grinned and then smiled more softly at the snake on his lap.

* * *

"Damn it!" Harry rolled away with an angry hiss, grabbing a pillow as he sat up. He threw it as hard as he could at Al. "Damn it!"

Al grunted as the pillow smacked into him.

Harry glared for good measure before carefully pushing up his sleeve. He had a line of scratches down his arm that were just barely bleeding, but that hardly mattered. They hurt three times more than their appearance suggested. "Damn it!"

"In all fairness, you just fucking bit me," Al said with a sort of strangled calm, breathing hard.

Harry picked up another pillow and threw it at Al. "Damn it! I hate this!"

"Jamie-."

"Shut up!" Harry pointed angrily at Suntree. "Just shut up!" He pushed to his feet to pace the length of the matted room angrily, twisting one of the bracelets on his wrist before forcing himself to stop, fists clenched at his side. "I hate this! I hate being knocked around! I hate being _played_ with like that! I know you're an adult, damn it! And I'm just a kid! But I hate feeling that way!"

"Jamie-."

"Shut up, damn it!"

"Jamie," Suntree ventured again after several minutes of tense silence watching Harry pace. Harry glared, but didn't snap, and Suntree continued quietly. "You need to work on containing your anger. You need to keep a level head."

"I know!"

"Then calm down. We'll take a break, you have a drink; we'll try again."

"Damn it!"

"Does it make you feel better to scream?"

"Yes it freaking does!"

"Then go ahead."

Harry took a deep breath and let out a loud, frustrated scream. Cam poked her head into the room, then ducked out again wide-eyed when Harry glared her way.

"Fearless Aurors, cowering at a screaming eight year old," Al muttered, limping over to the side of the room to lean against the wall. Harry glowered at him and kicked a nearby pillow into the wall.

"Perhaps it's time to call it a day," Suntree suggested after watching Harry pace with angry, jerky movements.

"No!" Harry threw himself down on the mats to sit in a half-hunched, cross-legged position, breathing hard. "No."

"Have a water."

"I will when I'm damn well ready!"

"Try the exercises we taught you-"

"I am! Shut up!"

Harry hunched in on himself a little more and tried to calm his breathing and will away his frustrated tears.

"That really freaking hurt," Harry muttered after almost ten minutes, calmed enough to sound grumpy instead of fuming.

"Guess what? Your teeth in my fucking arm really fucking hurt, too. But it happens."

"You bleeding?" Harry asked, looking up.

"Yes."

Harry just grunted.

"Want to call it quits for the day?" Al asked after a little pause. "Or try this exercise again?"

Harry stayed hunched, silent, for several minutes. They let him stay there.

"Again." He got to his feet slowly.

"You sure?"

"Yes, damn it!" Harry gave him a hard glare. "I hate being pushed around! But damn it, if I'm going to be pushed around, it's going to be by one of you!"

"All right." Al pushed away from the wall and came over. "Remember, you'll do better the longer you keep your temper."

"I know."

"Ready?"

"No."

Al waited almost a minute. "Ready?"

"…Yes."

* * *

"You okay?"

Harry looked away from the window where snow was softly falling. Cam was giving him a concerned look. "Hey. Yeah."

"You don't sound it."

He shrugged.

"Sweetie… you know you can put a stop to our training at any time."

Harry gave her a weak smile and looked back out of the window. Cam shifted to sit next to him on the padded bench, putting an arm around him.

"You can," she told him quietly. "All you have to do is say 'stop'."

"I know," Harry said a little listlessly.

"Then why don't you?"

"Because… I hate being pushed around like that. I hate feeling so useless and unable to do anything. Especially since I've felt so able to do almost everything up to now. It's just really awful. But you know what's even more awful?"

"What's that, sweetie?"

"Thinking that one day I'll feel like that, and it won't be one of you doing it. That bothers me, a lot. And thinking one day I'm going to really need to know how to keep calm and I won't. I've been… reading a lot about Harry Potter. And my- my parents died for something. You know? My parents died for something, for a reason. And Harry Potter- I lived for some reason. I'm sure of it. Some reason greater than this Voldey. And I don't want- I don't want to let that down, that expectation, that whatever. I don't want to be useless. I don't want to let my temper get the better of me. So I hate this; I hate doing this stuff. But I need to do it."

"That's a lot of responsibility you're putting on your shoulders, dear."

Harry leaned heavily into her. "Think I shouldn't?"

"You're eight."

"Yeah. But one day I'm going to be nine, and then ten, and then eleven… and before you know it, I'm going to be an adult."

Cam kissed the side of his head. "We could take a break."

"No. It'd be too easy to just not start again."

"You're a good kid."

Harry sighed a little. "I want to be."

"You are. Come on, Jame. You're thinking way too much like an adult these days. Let's go to the mall and play arcade games, eat burgers, act our age."

Harry snorted, then half giggled. "Your age is four times mine and then some."

"Hey now, what's this 'then some' nonsense?"

"You are," Harry pointed out with amusement.

"Fine. But I'm a kid at heart."

Harry laughed. "No arguments here."

"Come on, let's go to the mall. We can even get manicures."

"Why would I want to do that?" Harry asked with a laugh. "I don't want nails like yours."

"You don't have to get them painted. But they massage your hands and make them feel nice and they'd trim those wild fingernails down. It's called pampering, dear. It feels wonderful."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Manicures, burgers and arcade games? What kind of day is that?"

"A fabulous day, young man. And one day, you'll agree with me. You just wait."

"Whatever."

* * *

"My, you look a little… cross," Terry ventured.

"Someone," Harry sent a glare at Al's back, "made me go through the Floo network thirteen times until I could come out on my feet."

Terry gave Al a startled look. Al shrugged unrepentantly. "Don't let him develop bad habits; that's my motto."

"My first time using the Floo network and I'm already sick of it. Thanks a lot, _Alaris_."

"Oz, kid, don't use my name like that. It's bad for the mojo fires."

"I send thunderstorms to your mojo fires."

"I put up eternal umbrellas to cover my mojo fires."

"I send winds underneath the umbrellas to blow them away and now you have wind and rain battering your mojo fires."

"As fascinating as this all is…" Terry said, looking back and forth between them. "We have a mile walk to get out of the town."

"Geez, kid, learn to Apparate already."

Harry sent another glare at Al. "Geez, adult, someone needs to teach me."

"There will be no Apparition today, tomorrow or any time soon," Terry cut in. "Come on. Boy, am I glad I got a private fireplace and didn't have you come in through one of the public ones."

"Aww, I wish I was special like you, Mr. Auror," Al teased. "I want to be able to request a private fireplace, too!"

Terry gave Al a flat look.

"What?"

"Al…"

"Oh, that's right." Al grinned and winked at Harry. "I _am_ an Auror."

Harry sniffed disdainfully, though he was fighting not to grin. He skipped over to Terry as they left the room, slipping his hand into Terry's, and Terry gave his hand a squeeze with a fond smile.

Harry looked around curiously as they walked through the building. It was a strange place. At first, it almost looked like a hotel or something similar, as they were walking down a hallway with nothing but doors to either side. At the end of the hallway, the room opened up into an almost lobby-like area with couches and chairs in the center. Along two walls were large fireplaces, big enough for several people to stand in at once, and along a third wall, there were enclosures, like phone booths, where people were Apparating in and out. The remaining wall was taken up by a long counter with people behind it, like a customer service desk, and a glass door that led outside.

"What's this? Where are we?" Harry whispered as they left the building, looking around curiously. Snow crunched underfoot and something very much like an old town street stretched out in front of them, lined with snow dusted cobbles.

"We're in Rithera. It's a small magical town in Pennsylvania," Terry explained quietly, starting off down the cobbled road. "About a mile out of the town, there's a parking and rent garage; that's where we're going. See…" He trailed off as someone sped by on something like a round-bottomed scooter that was skimming along just off the ground, kicking up little swirls of snow. The woman riding it waved cheerily as she went by.

"You see," Terry continued once Harry had stopped staring after it wide-eyed, "they try to keep the old magic feel of the place, so they don't want cars actually inside the town. The building we just came from is the magical transportation station, the only way to get here without having to walk. The MTS has Floo fireplaces, Portkey rooms and Apparition booths."

Harry nodded, only half paying attention, sticking close to Terry's side as they passed shops that almost seemed normal on first glance. All of the buildings were strange, narrow house-like structures, with an odd mix of architecture decorating the front of the shops, many of them in a wild variety of colors that drew the eye to them. The unusual appearance of the stores aside, the stores didn't look magical until you took a second, closer look.

Magical fireworks sparkled and shimmered in the air outside of a shop on the left. The fireworks reflected strangely off of the windows of the shop, drawing attention to the exotic looking robe-like dresses with plumes and high collars and other strange things that a sign claimed were for the modern traditional woman. It took Harry a second of staring to realize that the fireworks were shimmering, exploding outward and forming twinkling, cheerful signs advertising sales and products.

A large window to the right gave a clear view of a shop full of toys that looked normal in appearance but were doing things non-magical toys definitely wouldn't. There were planes that whizzed around on their own, puzzle boxes that changed shape, bouncy balls that changed color and blocks that broke apart to rebuild themselves into other shapes.

Further down that side of the street, there was a shop with televisions, music players and even computers and some strange things that Harry thought looked sort of like computers, but opened up like a book, with a keyboard on one side and a computer screen on the other. The sign above the shop said Magitech. Harry turned to Terry to ask what the almost-computers were when he was distracted by another shop. He slowed and then stopped altogether to stare.

"Jamie, what…? Oh." Terry laughed when he saw what Harry was staring at. He glanced at Al and Al grinned back. "Think we should?"

Al gave Harry a close, studying look. Harry gave Al a wide-eyed pleading look. "Can't hurt," Al decided at last, mouth twitching with amusement.

"You want to go in there?" Terry asked Harry.

"Can we really? Really? Oh yes, yes, yes!

"Yeah, I think we can manage stopping for a few minutes."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Al laughed and tugged Harry away from Terry and into his arms. Terry walked ahead to get the door to Sports Unlimited.

Inside, Harry stared around in wonder. One entire wall held a display of brooms in more colors, styles and sizes than Harry even thought possible. Another entire wall held a display of windboards, ranging from boards smaller than Harry himself to boards even taller than Terry, some plain looking, others with interesting designs, wild colors and pattern, and others still with actual images on them, like stars, the beach or one with a fierce looking panther that looked like it was about so jump off the board at any second. The shelves of the shop were filled with strange looking balls, odd gloves, protective padding and boxes and bins filled with strange looking things that defied explanation.

"That is so awesome," Al murmured reverently, gravitating toward the windboarding wall. "It's the Sound Smasher 3000. Fastest board on the market. Look, they're using the new foot grip designs that allow for pivoting movement. It even has the new wind resistant sleek board design. So awesome."

"Awesome," Harry echoed, staring with just as much rapt wonder as Al. "Completely awesome."

"And look at these brooms…" Al moved over to the other wall. "Look at the Falcon line. Aren't they beautiful? Best brooms on the market that aren't USAS or custom made."

"The USAS brooms are custom made," Terry put in with amusement.

"Shut up, Terry," Al told him without even looking around. "You, rain, parade, no. Be normal, stare at brooms."

Harry reached out to touch the nearest broom with awe. It quivered a little under his fingers. "Wow…"

"Totally," Al agreed.

"That is so awesome…"

"Come on, you two," Terry said with a laugh. "You'll be here all day. We _are_ expected somewhere."

With reluctance, Al pulled them away from the broom wall. They were able to leave the store with only a few other attention-consuming distractions.

"I can't wait to get a broom," Harry said with a grin once the awe of the store had worn off a little.

Al laughed. "That's my little flyer."

"Come on." Terry gave them a nudge. "Let's get moving."

"Gonna put me down?" Harry asked Al.

"Hadn't planned on it. Want down?"

Harry curled his fingers into the soft material of Al's jacket and leaned in close. "You're warm."

"I'll take that as a no."

"And you're stopping the wind and- Ooh, look, a bookstore! A bookstore! Bookstore! Stopping? Bookstore!"

"Definitely not stopping there," Al laughed. "Unlike the brooms, I know you'll end up talking us into buying you a ton of books."

"Not even one book?"

"We'll be back through here at the end of the week, when you head back home," Terry told him. "Maybe then."

"Really?"

"Maybe."

"Can't even stop just for a second-"

"No," Terry interrupted, looking amused.

"Darn. Ooh, is that a pet shop?"

"Definitely not stopping there." Al snorted. "I think your mom is finally getting used to your snake, and knowing you, you'd talk us into buying you another one. Or something."

Terry muttered something like, "Because you're a pushover," but Al ignored it.

"And it's been, what? Around a couple of months?" Al asked with a grin. "At this rate, it'll be years before she's ready to let you have another snake."

"Almost three," Harry corrected. "I got her for Christmas, remember? And hello, spring break, mid-March. That's almost three months."

"That's around two months and two weeks. So around a couple of months. So I win."

"Knock it off, you two," Terry put in before they could start to tease back and forth.

Harry snorted and stuck his tongue out at Terry. Terry ignored him.

They soon left the warmly lit cobbled streets of the town and Harry could see in the distance a parking garage type building.

"Excited about spending half your break with Al and his family?" Terry asked as they walked, snow crunching underfoot.

Harry nodded, leaning more into Al as the breeze picked up. "It'll be way cool. He's got, like, dozens of cousins-"

"And for once the kid's not exaggerating."

"And they're super awesome. And, oh! Al has a little house thing in the back where he stays when he visits, cuz he does that a lot. It'll be just us staying there this visit and that'll be totally awesome. It looks like a shed, but inside it's got a bedroom and a living room and a kitchen and bathroom. It's a lot like your apartment, Terry, but it's actually got stuff in it."

Terry coughed. "I have things in my apartment now. You made sure of that this Christmas."

"Yes, I did." Harry gave him a bright smile. "And I helped you put everything up."

"And I couldn't help but notice that you made sure you went flying afterward."

"Yes, well, we were just right there. It was just an efficient way to end the visit. And stuff."

"Oh, yes, and stuff." Terry laughed.

"And oh! Al's mom makes some amazing banana bread! I can't wait to have some more."

"And since she thinks you're an adorably polite dear, you can bet she'll have made you some." Al snorted. "Can't imagine why she'd think that."

"Oi, be nice to me." Harry pouted.

Al gave him a little bounce and Harry squeaked in surprise, almost strangling Al as he gripped Al's jacket.

"Okay, okay." Al loosened his jacket with a grin. "That sure lesson's me."

"Lesson's you?" Terry gave Al a look and shook his head.

"And, oh! And if there's still snow around we'll do snow stuff!" Harry exclaimed.

"There might not be snow," Al warned. "It is mid-March. I didn't think to ask when I talked to my mom yesterday."

"I did say 'if'." Harry rolled his eyes. "And we'll go roller skating, too! That's so much fun. And, oh! The last time I visited, they had the most amazing magical stuff, like butterbeer and buttercream and butterscotch pop and-"

"Hold that thought." Terry pushed open the door to the box-like building attached to a large garage structure. Al stayed outside, meandering over to the open garage area. He found the car just a handful of seconds before Terry came out and headed over, tossing the keys up and down.

"Here we go, kid." Al set Harry on his feet again and made sure Harry was settled into the backseat, next to his already waiting suitcase, buckled up snugly. Terry tossed Al the keys and settled into the passenger seat as Harry checked his luggage over.

"It's all there," Al told him with amusement as he started the car.

"Yep." Harry sat back. "How far away is it?"

Al guided the car from the garage. "About half an hour from here. There's a book back there, if you want to read. Behind your suitcase."

"Cool!" Harry felt behind his suitcase and pulled out a hardcover magical mystery. He grinned. "Awesome."

"Thought you'd like that."

"Do you think Serish'll really be okay?" Harry asked once he'd given the book a thorough study.

"Suntree said he'd look after her," Terry told him, glancing back. "And you said yourself that she likes Suntree and didn't mind."

"Okay."

"Must be nice being able to talk to your pet," Al mused.

"Not a pet," Harry corrected. "A friend."

"Quite sorry."

Terry chuckled. "So what else do you plan to do on your visit? Unless you'd rather read."

"Oh!" Harry put the book down and went back to excitedly describing all the fun stuff Al had said they might do.


	15. Chapter 15

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: I love you Harry Potter, but you aren't mine. I love John Barrowman, too, and he's not mine. This makes me sad. John Barrowman isn't relevant here, but misery loves company.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: I have recently fallen in love with Doctor Who. The newer ones. Christopher Eccleston was pretty darn awesome, but David Tennant rocks my world. Did you know his real name is David John McDonald? He's Scottish. I fangirl.

Review Responses: For chapter 14 on the Ygroup. Things covered in this response: Prequel explanation; Response to moonlit dew; Harry and meditation; "Inconsistency" Harry being told he has to have Suntree with him to visit Al's family; USAS United States Auror Service; Response to karlii

AN: BRITPICKER

AN2: An inconsistency that webweaver pointed out regarding Harry being told in chapter 12 that he could visit Al if Suntree went along. And obviously in chapter 14 only Al accompanied him (and Terry acted as an "escort" there). And this is in fact correct. I never wrote it outright, but Harry did make that one, maybe two day visit with Al to see his immediate family shortly after that conversation. This visit that I wrote them going to was a second one, longer and with more family being met.

AN3: If you could ask a character any three questions, what would they be and which character would you ask?

BETAS: Woo, woo, woo! Jynx67 and Andrea. And Megan, too!

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 15

* * *

"So, it sounds like you enjoyed your visit," Laney remarked with amusement, watching Harry lug his suitcase back into the house. It looked suspiciously heavier.

"It was so awesome!"

"Anything left to tell me that you didn't manage to say on the forty-minute drive home?"

"Um… no, I think I got it all. Did I tell you about Al making the magical snowmen?"

"You did."

"And about their pet kneazle?"

"Several times."

"And triplet cousins and their birds?"

"The magical birds that sing songs from the radio?"

"Yeah!"

"Definitely told me."

"And magical music!" Harry put his suitcase down with a thump and gave it a push, pointing up the stairs. "Get moving! Making me do all the work and lug you around," he muttered, watching as the suitcase began to bob unsteadily up the stairs, bumping gently into the front of each stair before floating up to the next. Harry followed it up. "They have their own awesome music, Mom!" He looked back at her. "I love Mighty Penguins!"

Laney stopped for a moment, then snorted. "Very odd name."

"So great! And rock music! Wow! Rock music is so awesome. And they have these CD things! Compact disc, I think that's what Al said it meant. But CDs! They are so much better than tapes!"

Laney laughed. "I get the feeling that Al's gotten you your own music player and some of these CD things."

"Totally! You so have to listen to some of them. You'll totally agree. Oh! There's a group called Mutant Ninja Awesome! MNA! It's so awesome!"

Laney's mouth twitched. "Totally."

"And they have sugar monkeys! They're candy monkeys that come in a barrel, and they actually jump up and down. Isn't that awesome?"

"Entirely."

"It was sooo much fun. I really liked it. I'm glad you said I could go." Harry stopped short of his door and directed the suitcase into his room with a hand wave. "It was so much fun, Mom. It really was. And! Al can actually act like a real responsible adult, believe it or not."

Laney laughed. "I had suspected it was in there somewhere."

"So, yeah. It was awesome. It was the most awesome trip ever."

"I'm glad you had fun," Laney told him warmly, closing the distance to hug him. "We'll have to arrange for you to visit again this summer."

"Thanks, Mom!"

"But unpack now and put your stuff away." She pulled away and ruffled his hair. "Make sure you put your dirty clothes in the hamper."

"Okay."

"And then I was thinking we could order pizza for dinner."

"Awesome!"

"And then a movie and a popcorn fight?"

"You're the bestest ever, ever."

"Love you, too, Jame."

* * *

"Breathe."

"I am breathing!" Harry snarled, hunching over a little more as he wheezed.

Suntree pulled out his wand and cast a light diagnostic spell over Harry. Harry twitched and gave him a death glare.

"Stop that, damn it! I hate that feeling without magic!"

"Sorry. I needed to check."

"Just stop!"

Suntree calmly put his wand away. "You're fine physically."

"Lucky me." Harry curled up on his side with a groan, trying to catch his breath.

From the other side of the room Al grunted. "Kid has a powerful kick."

"And yet I'm the one that got knocked on my ass," Harry growled.

"That's what happens when you knock me down. I knock you down right back."

"Couldn't just let me have it, could you?"

"That's not the way this works, Jamie," Suntree told him. "You're learning martial arts. There's no winning or losing here."

"That's funny! Because I keep losing!"

"No, you don't. You're doing very well-"

"Hah!" Harry pushed up in a sitting position. "Don't give me that crap! I'm getting my ass kicked every time I come in here with these damn bracelets on!"

"You're progressing very well, aside from getting angry so-"

"Hah! I'm not angry! I'm completely _pissed_!"

Al snorted. "And I'm just going to keep kicking your ass-"

"Shut up!" Harry threw a pillow at Al. "Shut up!"

Suntree tried again. "You're supposed to be controlling-"

"And you shut up, too!" Harry snapped at Suntree. "Everyone just shut the hell up!"

Al and Suntree exchanged a look, Al massaging one of his wrists gingerly.

Al ventured, "You have to try harder-"

"Try harder?!" Harry screamed, picking up another pillow and hurling it at Al. Al staggered back a step as it hit his chest. "Fucking try harder?! What do you think I'm doing?! You think I'm having fun?! I fucking hate this! And I fucking hate you!" Harry hurled another pillow at Al. Al caught it with a grunt.

"Fine, hate me. I don't fucking care. Just as long as it means you'll be safe one day, I don't fucking care."

"I fucking will then! I hate you! I hate you, and I just wish you'd go away forever and never come back!" Harry hurled another pillow and stalked out of the room, gasping back tears.

Al massaged his chest as he glanced over at Suntree.

Suntree gave him a wan smile. "He didn't mean that."

"Oh, I know." Al gave him a grim smile. "You're not really family until you scream hatred at each other."

Suntree sighed a little. "He seemed so close to finally getting a hold on his anger."

"Yeah… I think we pushed him too hard these last couple weeks, thinking it was just within reach." Al dropped the pillow he was still holding. "I think I ought to take a break for a week or two. Let him cool down and feel better."

Suntree nodded.

"I think you should lay off the bracelets while I'm gone."

"I agree."

"And we need to give him more breaks between wearing them. He perks up so easily after they're off; within minutes he's back to his usual self once the bracelets aren't influencing him. It's easy to forget that he's still stressed from the experience."

Suntree nodded again.

"Laney's been surprisingly calm about all this."

Suntree glanced toward the empty doorway and then took out his wand to cast a privacy charm. "She doesn't like it, but she feels it's very necessary at this point. She told me last week that an old friend of hers from England called to tell her that someone came by, looking for her. The man claimed he was an old friend. Laney didn't recognize the description of him, but her friend said the man gave her the creeps and was dressed kind of strange. In a raincoat and tuxedo pants."

"Sounds wizard to me," Al said, eyes narrowing. "Sounds pureblood or pureblood aspiring."

"And you know what that likely means."

"Voldemort loyalist in some way, yes."

"And he was especially interested in Laney's little son. Had a fairly good description of Jamie, too, which is a little worrying. The man didn't seem to have a good grasp of what Laney looked like, though."

"What are we doing about this?"

"I sent it up to the Director, and he's going to contact their law enforcement over there, magical. They should be looking into this soon, if they aren't already. But I suspect we're going to hit a wall when they decide over there that they need to see the kid or talk to Laney or know their whereabouts or something. I've already promised Laney that won't happen."

"Does Jamie know? He's been pushing himself hard this past week."

"Laney told him vaguely. He's smart enough to infer more from it."

Al nodded. "Looks like it's time to revise our strategy. Safety and defense heavy."

"Yes."

Al sighed. "Poor kid."

* * *

Al dropped his bag in the kitchen and made his way into the living room, glancing at the hall clock with a sigh. He was ten minutes late and the kid was probably going to start off the session even more irritable than usual. Al had a feeling today was going to be tough.

"Sorry I'm late-" He grunted as Harry tackled him in a hug, practically sobbing.

"I thought you wouldn't come! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I don't hate you! I don't want you to go away! I didn't mean it! I shouldn't have said it! I'm sorry! I love you! Don't go away! I'm so sorry!"

"Shh, it's okay, kid, it's all right." Al gathered Harry into his arms and sat down on the mat, settling Harry on his lap. "Shh. I'm not mad at you, kid, and I'd never go away. You were angry. You didn't mean it. I know that. It's okay."

"I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have said it; I didn't mean it."

"You were upset. I know. It happens to everyone."

"I'm so sorry. I'll do better now. I promise. I'll do so much better."

Al tightened his arms around Harry. "I know," he said quietly, soothingly. "I'm sorry, too. We shouldn't have pushed you so hard. It's okay. I love you, too. I'm not mad. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I'm sorry. Don't go away."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm sorry…"

Al discretely shifted to pull his wand and cast a strong privacy spell over the living room entrance, ensuring that no one would disturb them, and then settled his arms snugly around Harry again, pressing a little kiss to Harry's hair as he rubbed his back. Harry continued to sob quiet apologies against Al's shoulder; Al let him get it out, murmuring little reassurances.

"I'm sorry, Jame," Al murmured once the crying began to settle. "I didn't realize you'd worry when you didn't see me for our next session. I thought you'd need some time to feel better."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's all right. I'm not mad."

Harry sniffled against his shoulder.

"You're practically family to me, Jame. And guess what? Family's allowed to scream and yell and be mad at each other."

"…Promise?"

"I promise."

Harry sniffled again, hugging Al tightly. Al let him, kissing Harry's hair and rubbing his back as Harry slowly continued to wind down. As Harry's breathing began to even out, Al realized that almost all of their interaction lately had been in this room, with Harry in tears or losing his temper in turns. Al had stayed for a few dinners, but Harry had been sullen and quiet, and the few times Al had been over for any length of time before their sessions, Harry was jittery and worried. Al was shocked to realize that the last time they'd spent any fun, quality time together had been spring break, and that had been almost two months ago.

"Hey, kid?"

"Time to start the session?" Harry asked in a tired voice, sounding defeated and resigned.

"I was thinking we could go out," Al told him quietly. "Go see a movie, eat junk food, play some games somewhere."

Harry froze, then sat up to give Al a surprised, hopeful look. "Really?"

"Definitely."

"And not- No practice at all?"

"Not at all. Here, let me take the bracelets off." Harry couldn't offer his wrists fast enough. "And tomorrow we'll sit down with the others and work out a much better bracelet schedule. You're doing so much better than you think you are, Jame."

"But I still can't not be angry," Harry sighed, shoulders dropping a little.

"Yeah… Jame? That's not your fault. I think that's the adults' fault."

Harry gave him another surprised look. "Huh?"

"We're overworking you, and you shouldn't have to point that out all the time. We should be taking care of you. That's our job." He gently brushed away some lingering wetness on Harry's cheeks. "I think if you get more breaks from the bracelets, you'll be able to handle being angry better. And you know what?"

"What?"

"I realized the bracelets aren't very fair. They make you unhappy and upset and grumpy just by wearing them. And then we're doing things that irritate you. You actually control your anger pretty well when you don't have something else trying to influence."

He sniffled. "Really?"

"Really. You know what that means?"

"What?"

"It means that when you control your anger when wearing the bracelets, you'll practically be unshakeable the rest of the time. And that's something not even all Aurors can claim."

Harry perked up, looking a little more interested. "Really?"

"Really. And guess what?"

"What?"

"You're more of a force to be reckoned with than you realize."

Harry gave him a tentative smile. "Really?"

"Definitely." He gave Harry's forehead a kiss. "Now go upstairs and get dressed and I'll talk to Laney."

"Okay." Harry hugged him. "I'm glad you knew I didn't hate you."

"No matter what you say to me, Jame, I'll never doubt that you care about me."

"Okay," Harry whispered.

* * *

"Jamie, baby-"

"Mom," Harry sighed.

"Come in here, honey. I want to talk to you about something serious."

Harry came into the office a little uncertainly. "Mom?"

"You're not in trouble." She gave him a smile and patted the loveseat. "Come here."

He went over to sit next to her. "What's going on?"

"What do you think about the idea of moving?"

"Huh? What? Why? But I have friends here, Mom, and-"

"Shh. Not far. You'll still go to the same school and everything. But I was thinking… maybe moving to another house in the area."

Harry frowned. "Why? We have the playground here, and the shed for potions and we just put up the warding…"

"I thought it'd be nice to have a new place, somewhere we choose together. We'd take the playground stuff with us. Maybe the shed. I mentioned this to Suntree and he said we could get the same warding put up in our new place. But I think somewhere a little quieter would be nice. Somewhere more isolated, with a lot of trees and some land around us, a real backyard. And a bigger house, too, in case we want one of the group to stay over, or in case they need to stay over."

"Mom…" Harry gave her a concerned look. "Is this about that guy that was trying to find you, over in England? The one who knew about me?"

"That's a part of it, baby." Laney sighed. "That's a part of it. But I've been thinking about this since the beginning of the year, so it's not all that. I just thought somewhere a little more private would be nice."

Harry considered that. "Is this so I can practice magic more easily?"

Laney smiled. "That's part of it. And magic in general is a part of it, too. You have more friends in the magical world now, and you'll have even more in a few years. And the Auror group comes over quite a lot, when you really think about it. We could get a Floo connection. Suntree says that they can set up a very secure one that only connects to a couple of other very secure places… Don't you think it'd be nice to make the house a little more magic friendly?"

"Yeah…" Harry jiggled a foot as he considered that.

"If you don't hate the idea of moving, baby, I'll start looking to see what's out there. When I find some nice places, we'll both go look at them. If you find a place you like, then that's great. But if you don't like any of them and want to stay here, well, this is home and that's fine. Just think about it, sweetie. That's all."

Harry nodded slowly.

"I'll ask you about it when school gets out for the summer, okay?"

"All right."

* * *

"Mom?"

"Yeah, Jamie?"

"I've been thinking…"

Laney looked up from the photographs she was considering. "Yeah?"

"If we move, will my room be bigger? And we'll still have an upstairs at the new place, right? How about a pool? Think I could get a real potions lab? I really like potions, its so much fun. And how about a real practice room? For learning my martial arts and gymnastics and other stuff? And for dueling? And could I get another snake? Serish wouldn't mind some company. And-"

"Whoa." Laney laughed. "Been thinking about this, have you?"

"A bit."

"A bit." Laney snorted. "We can talk to Sunny and some of the others about some of that stuff. And we'll deal with some of the other stuff once we find a likely place, all right?"

"Okay."

"And if we do find a new place, moving will be a lot of fun this time," Laney said with a sudden mischievous smile. "A lot more fun than the last few times we moved, definitely."

Harry gave her a curious look.

"I'll have a bunch of big, strong men willing to move everything for me," Laney said with a grin.

Harry giggled.

* * *

"We found it! We found it! We found it!" Harry skipped into the kitchen where Kathy and Suntree were starting dinner. "We found it!"

"I may be mistaken, but I think they found something."

Kathy smacked Suntree with a towel and Suntree twitched his fingers, turning the towel into a very surprised looking stuffed rabbit. Harry grabbed the stuffed rabbit with a laugh.

"Mine now! And we found a house! We found a house! It's not that far from here, and I can still go to the same school if we leave extra early in the morning! And Mom says she doesn't mind doing that, but you mooching bums need to help out sometimes, too."

Suntree raised a brow and looked at Laney as she came into the kitchen.

Laney raised her brows right back. "I've got a spoon. The spoon says I'm right."

"Never mind that! We have a house! It's huge! Two stories! With a porch that wraps all the way around the entire house! The entire house! And it's up in the woods and set back and really isolated, but we're not far at all from town! And- and- and-"

"Calm down, Jamie." Laney tapped him on the head with the folder in her hand as she came the rest of the way into the kitchen.

"It's way cool! I love it! And oh, oh, oh!"

"Oh?"

"It's so magic rich! I think it must run over a ley line, or by one, or something, because the area feels so light and bright and lovely. It's like one big, warm, magic hug; it's so nice!"

"Guess you're moving, huh?" Kathy asked Laney with a bit of a grin.

"Looks like." Laney put the folder down to wash her hands, then frowned as she reached for the towel. "Where'd the towel go?"

"Right here." Harry held up the rabbit with a laugh. "And I didn't do it. Suntree did."

"Vicious slander. Accusing me of being a rabbit maker."

Laney sighed. "Towel?"

"Aww, do I have to turn it back? It's so soft and squishy." Harry gave it a tight hug. "See? All soft and squishy!"

"Go grab me another one, then."

Harry bounced out of the room with a laugh.

"Anyway, I have some pictures of the house," Laney said once he'd run off. "It's a very nice place. And I'm getting it cheap because it needs some serious repairs. But, well, Jamie pointed out that serious repairs don't mean much with magic." She shrugged.

Harry came back in and handed over another towel, still holding the towel bunny in one hand, bouncing excitedly on his toes.

"Thanks, kid."

"Sure!"

"And… magic isn't so bad," Laney said as she dried her hands. "I can deal with the place getting fixed up with a little bit of magic. My only concern is, well, if the magic wears off or something, I don't want the house to fall down around my ears."

"Magic doesn't entirely work that way, Mom," Harry said in his 'I'm getting ready to go off about magic theory because magic theory is lots of fun' voice. "Really, the only possible way for it to be a semi-legitimate concern would be for anything you directly conjure. If we need new stuff for something, we can buy the parts and just put it in ourselves. That pretty much takes away any risk."

Laney raised her brows.

"See, magic is just another form of expending energy on something. Putting up a wall with existing materials using magic is using another type of energy to do it, but the wall is still being put up in a solid, tangible way. You don't put the physical labor into it, but the magical labor would be of the same energy output. It just doesn't seem that way because magic is a harder to exhaust resource than physical endurance. For those with the ability to use it in the first place, of course."

Laney laughed. "Okay." She looked to Kathy and Suntree. "Make sense to you?"

"Yeah, the kid's right. Magic is pretty safe."

"It's also good for fixing broken things, like cracks or something," Harry continued brightly. "Because you're not really adding anything new, you're just returning something to the way it should be."

"Thank you, Mr. Theory. Go wash up and help us with supper."

"Yes, Mom." He bounced off again.

"He seems pretty excited about the house," Kathy said with a fond smile.

"Yeah. I think he's just as excited by the idea of doing all sorts of repairs for the house."

"Ah, well, the kid likes doing magic."

Laney smiled. "He does. But I think he likes even more the idea of being a part of making it home."

"You like the house, too?" Suntree asked as he flipped through the folder.

Laney nodded. "It's charming. It's a beautiful wood house. And it's big, very big. And Jamie seems to think it'd be wonderful to make it even bigger with some magic. But it does need repairs. If Jamie hadn't reminded me about being able to fix it up with magic, I don't think I'd have gone for it, no matter how much Jamie and I both love the place."

"Sounds like just the kind of place to let Jamie stretch his magic wings, as it were."

* * *

"Hey, Mom."

"Hm?"

Harry leaned against the back of the couch. "Guess what time it is."

Laney looked up from her book to the clock on the cable box. "6:48."

"Nope."

"Yep. I'm looking right at the time."

"Nope, nope."

"Then what time is-?"

"Popcorn time!" Harry yelled, upending a bowl of popcorn on her head before dashing out of the room and thundering up the stairs.

Laney spluttered as popcorn rained down on her. "Jamie!"

"You're it!"

"Oh yeah!" Laney shut the book with a snap and scrambled off the couch, crunching popcorn underfoot with nearly every movement and sending it flying off of her clothes as she scrambled up the stairs. There was a thump from down the hall as she reached the top of the stairs and she veered off toward it.

"Popcorn attack!" Harry shrieked, pelting her with handfuls of popcorn as she darted into the room.

Laney barreled through the popcorn barrage to pounce Harry, wrestling away the bag of popcorn and pinning him down for tickling, making him shriek all the more.

"'Popcorn time' me, huh?" Grinning, Laney snuck her hands under the shirt to attack his sides. "Huh? Huh?" She gave him one last tickle explosion and then rolled off the bed, snagging the bag of popcorn as she went. "I got your popcorn!" she yelled as she dashed out of the room and down the stairs.

Harry gave an indignant squawk and scrambled after her.


	16. Chapter 16

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: You know, I don't think I want to own Harry Potter… What's the point when I can steal him and his entire world, muck about in them, have fun and then quietly slip them back under the door and not have to clean up the mess?

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Hi. :offers candy:

Review Responses: For chapter 15 on the Ygroup. Things covered in this response: LOTS, way too much to list here. Also take note please, I'm going to start posting review responses as they come in and I get a chance to answer them. They will be located in a temporary text file on my Ygroup, files section, American Harry folder.

AN: BRITPICKER (yes, I'm still looking)

AN2: If you could ask a character any three questions, what would they be and which character would you ask?

BETAS: Woo, woo, woo! Jynx67 and Andrea. And Megan, too!

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

* * *

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ BELOW – IMPORTANT

Most people are going to wonder why the Aurors didn't back off after what happened last. I must say – They did! And I'm going to explain what happened here because they're not going to be able to figure it out too easily and you need to know. They did back off and are going much, much easier on him than they were. He even had a week or so without having to do ANYTHING.

But the problem is that it only LOOKS like Harry's going back to normal after each session. The stress is still there _in his magic_, and they're not giving it enough time to heal properly. On top of that the bracelets lead him to getting frustrated, his magic picks up what they want him to learn and forces him to learn it more quickly than if he was learning it normally. _But the magic is also picking up that they want him frustrated! _So without realizing it he's generating extra frustration on top of being frustrated on top of not having enough time to heal and relax from each one… and thus you have this.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 16

* * *

"Why do you have to keep pushing me?!" Harry shoved at Al and toppled over himself. He lashed out with a foot instead, making Al curse and scramble.

"Shit! Calm down."

"No! You keep pushing me! You keep pushing me, pushing me, pushing me! And nothing I do makes any difference! Nothing! NOTHING!"

"I think its time to call a stop to today's lesson," Kathy called out, sounding a little strained.

"No!" Harry picked up a pillow and smacked Al with it as hard as he could. "You just push me around!" He whirled around again with the pillow, using all of his momentum. The pillow, Al and Harry went down in a tangle. "All the time! Just fucking pushing!"

"Jamie, end of lesson," Kathy called out sharply as Al scrambled away from Harry's flailing limbs and nails.

"Fuck it!" Harry screamed in frustration, kicking out at Al with all of his strength. Al let out a pained curse. "I'm fucking tired of it!" He kicked again before struggling to his knees to lunge at Al.

"Fuck, kid." Al grunted and knocked Harry away none too gently, and then drew his wand. Harry struggled to his feet again, crying in frustration. When he saw the wand he kicked Al's hand as hard as he could, sending the wand flying and making Al curse. "Jamie!"

"Shut up! You will not use magic on me! Not when I can't use magic! Not when I CAN'T!" The bracelets on his wrists hummed alarmingly for a split second before they shattered. When Al scrambled for his wand Harry lunged, screaming incoherently as a whirlwind of magic picked up the pillows spread out around the room and slammed them about.

"Fuck!" Al gasped, trying to grab Harry's wrists as the clawed hands came uncomfortably near his face and a knee caught him in the stomach painfully. "Goddamn fucking son of a bitch that hurt!" He wrapped his arms around Harry's flailing form, narrowly avoiding another knee to the gut. When Harry continued to flail about wildly, Al rolled them over, trying for a few seconds not to crush Harry until Harry bit down on his shoulder, and then he did his best to subdue Harry with his greater weight. "Fucking little shit."

Harry let out a little whimper that pitifully trailed away, but before Al could feel even slightly bad, Harry redoubled his efforts to get away, head butting Al as he struggled to free a knee enough to plant it with real force.

Al more heard than felt his nose break as Harry head butted again and his leg found some purchase and slammed into Al's thigh alarmingly. Al gave up being nice with a pained grunt, forcing his entire weight down onto Harry. He started to mutter a subduing charm when Harry bit down on his shoulder again and Al freed a hand enough to grab a handful of Harry's hair and yank his head back. Harry shrieked with rage as Al struggled to focus, beginning to mutter a subduing charm again.

"Let go of me!" Harry screamed in his ear, thrashing, completely unaffected by the subduing charm even as Al started in on his third repeat of it.

"No way in fucking hell." Al switched tactics and muttered a rope binding charm. Harry went stiff as ropes appeared and began to wind tightly around him. Several long seconds passed and then Al slowly began to pull away from the trembling form when he heard the very unpleasant sound of snapping rope. Al barely had time to perceive it when one of Harry's hands wormed free and sank into Al's hair, pulling hard, fingernails digging into the scalp.

"Mother fucking little shit!" Al reached back and grabbed the hand, squeezing the fingers until he felt bones grinding beneath the skin; not even then did Harry stop pulling. "Kathy! Some fucking help!"

"I'm trying! They just keep sliding off!"

"Al! Off him now!"

Al reacted immediately to the hard voice, rolling away quickly, almost breaking Harry's wrist in his effort to force the fingers from his hair completely. Once he was free, he didn't stop rolling for a few more turns and twisted around just in time to see Harry scramble to his feet, and then topple over.

Terry came into the room cautiously, wand focused on Harry's unmoving form. "Al. Status."

"Really fucking unhappy," Al muttered, pushing into a sitting position and touching the top of his head. His fingers came away wet with blood.

Kathy came striding back into the room, looking worried. "I've put an emergency call in for a healer." She focused on Harry and made to go over to him, but something in Terry's hard expression kept her back. "What did you hit him with?" she asked instead.

"Karma's Revenge."

"What?!"

"I tried restraining, stunning and petrification spells. All in a row. And he got to his feet. Karma was the only thing I could think of when the raw magic in the air suddenly sharpened and began to gather."

"But Karma…"

"He's still breathing. A healer's on the way."

"But Karma…"

"What the hell is Karma?" Al muttered, suddenly realizing that his other wrist hurt fiercely every time he tried to move it.

"It only works when someone's trying to use raw magic as a weapon. It basically forces the magic turn on the person trying to use it. I took the chance that Jamie wouldn't try to kill me and sent it back at him."

"Shit…"

"I completely agree. Kathy, where's Laney?"

"She's out. But she's wearing the necklace we gave her for Christmas, so I sent a call out to Cam and Cam's tracking her down."

"Sunny?"

"He'll accompany the healer here."

"Al, injuries?"

"Broken nose, cuts to the scalp, possibly a sprained wrist, my left knee feels twisted, general bruising, aches and pain. I just got my ass handed to me by an eight-year-old."

"Almost nine," Kathy corrected.

"That doesn't help, Kathy."

"Harry Potter?"

"…That makes it a little better."

There was a pop in the wards and half a dozen seconds later, two sets of hurrying footsteps moved across the kitchen. Suntree was first into the room, followed by a short blonde woman in healer scrubs. She stopped at Harry's side to do a visual assessment as Terry gave her a quick rundown of the situation.

"Lord, what you Aurors will get into next," she muttered, doing a diagnostic charm on Harry. "Put your wand away, young man. He's out cold. Everyone out of the room but you," she told Terry, then eyed Al. "And you."

Kathy and Suntree exchanged a glance as they went to wait in the hall for Laney and Cam to come back. Terry remained standing in the room, wand still trained in Harry's direction.

"Well?" Kathy looked at Suntree worriedly.

Suntree gave her a wan smile. "Yes, I'll talk to Laney."

* * *

"So… he lost control of his anger, went into a rage, attacked Al, Terry came in and hit him with a very powerful spell that made the magic he was getting ready to use on Terry turn on him instead." Laney took an overly calm drink of tea. "And now there's a woman upstairs, a healer, and she says Harry's fine, just exhausted, and he ought to come around sometime tomorrow."

"Pretty much," Suntree agreed.

She gave a slow nod.

"Laney?"

"I'm trying very, very hard not to go into a screaming rage at everyone because, intellectually, I know this really isn't anyone's fault. But emotionally, there's a mother bear inside that's trying to get out and rip everyone's head off."

"Laney-"

"Not a word."

Suntree and Kathy exchanged a glance. Cam came over quietly to refill Laney's tea.

"When can I go upstairs?" she asked after several long, strained minutes.

"Right now, Mrs. Featheridge," the healer said from the doorway. "I'm Halley Moon, by the way. I would ordinarily take this time to speak to you about your son, but I'm sure you'd rather be upstairs. Is it all right if I explain to Sunny instead?"

Laney eyed Suntree intensely before giving a slow nod. She got up and left her tea on the table, barely giving the healer a nod as she walked by. She could hear a faint murmur starting in the kitchen once she was well clear of it but she didn't pay it any mind. Her attention was on the stairs.

Al was sitting several steps up and he slowly lifted his head when she stopped just short of the stairs. The areas around his nose and eyes were dark with bruises, and despite that she could tell he'd been crying at some point. He had a brace around his knee, a bandage wrapped tightly around a wrist and he looked exhausted.

Silence stretched between them until Al looked away. "I'm sorry."

Laney's lips thinned. "I really don't know what to say to you right now."

"I understand."

"I doubt it," she said sharply.

He just nodded and bowed his head again.

Laney continued up the stairs, but at the top she hesitated and turned, looking down at the hunched back. There was blood on the back of his shirt and in his hair; something inside of her softened a little at seeing it. "Al."

He turned carefully to look at her. "Yes?"

"Kathy told me that you… were very careful of hurting him, even with…" she made a vague gesture to her face.

"Wasn't his fault," Al said a little hoarsely. "He's just a kid…"

"Thank you."

He shook his head. "No. I don't…"

"Yes. Thank you."

"I hurt him."

Laney came back down the stairs with a sigh and sat carefully a couple of steps up from where he was. "Al, Jamie… chose this. I'm not happy, but… Jamie chose all of this. We've talked about this more than once. He's told me that he knows what he has to do. And there's a part of me that's terrified enough of something bad happening to him… Some people would say I'm a bad parent, allowing a child to make a decision like this, but… I'm terrified enough to allow this and I have to live with that…" She sighed again and ran her hands back through her hair.

"This is as much my fault as yours," she continued even more softly. "As much his fault as mine. I'm not happy. I'm very, very unhappy. I would like nothing better than to push you down a set of very long stairs. And no, I'm not being unbelievably rational right now about all this, no matter how this looks. But what I know is that I worked too hard to earn that little boy's trust, and if I drive any of you away, I'm going to lose something very important to me. And I have already lost too much in my life. A friend close enough to be my sister, a husband, a child… Frankly, my anger isn't worth that to me."

Al nodded slowly.

"So you're going to stay until he wakes up. I know when he does, he's going to feel horrible when he remembers what happened. And when that happens, you had damn well better reassure him and make him smile again, or I will gleefully castrate you with a wooden spoon. Is that understood?"

"Absolutely."

"Good." She stood again and made her way to Harry's room to curl up with him on his bed.

* * *

"I'm sorry…"

Laney gently turned Harry's troubled face towards her and gave him a little kiss. "It's all right. I'm just glad you're okay."

"Am I in trouble?"

"No, baby, you're not." She gathered him close to her side, smoothing his hair back from his flushed face.

"Is anyone else in trouble?" he asked in a small voice.

"No, baby. It's okay." She brushed away the tears and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "It's okay. These things happen."

"I'm sorry, Mommy."

Laney looked down at the troubled, too young, too old face and had to fight back tears. She hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry. We'll stop it all. I don't mean to worry you. I'm sorry."

"No, baby. No." She kissed his forehead again. "No. I'm not going to tell you to stop. I'm not going to ask you to stop. What you're doing is good; you just need to be a little more careful with it. Don't push it so much. Just go a little easier, until you're older."

"Okay."

Laney studied his face. "Do you feel okay, Jame? Really?"

"Yeah… I don't entirely remember everything." Harry swallowed. "But I remember enough."

"It's not your fault. Sometimes bad things just happen." She curled her fingers through his hair. "You've been doing so well up to now. We've had a bad experience, and it's something we'll learn from, not run from."

He looked up at her, biting his lip. "Am I doing the right thing? Would Mom Lily and Dad approve?"

With a little sigh, Laney shifted to curl up next to Harry, pulling him close. "I think…"

"Don't lie to make me feel better…"

"I wouldn't, baby. I won't." He kissed his hair with a little sigh. "I think they'd be heartbroken," she murmured. Harry sniffled a little. "But I think they'd be so proud of you."

"Proud?"

"Oh yes. I think they'd be incredibly proud of you. They would be heartbroken that you have to even think of your safety like this, that you can't just be normal and carefree and safe-"

"No one is carefree or safe these days," Harry interrupted.

"Carefree the way you should be, safe the way you should be." She kissed his hair again. "But they'd be proud, baby. I know Lily would be. Lily would be so proud of you, doing things you don't really want to do, making decisions and sticking by them, thinking of other people, being mature. She'd be proud that you're strong. And she'd be so happy that you're happy, that you're safe, that the people around you love you, that you're growing up into a fine, decent, good young man. She wouldn't find any fault with you, baby. She'd be so proud of you."

"Really?"

"She would. She'd hate the way things are, but she'd also understand it. She was always one for sticking up where others wouldn't, for befriending the friendless, for helping the helpless. And she'd understand that you feel the need to do something, that you have to help, but since you can't right now, you're doing the best to ensure you can help one day. She'd think you're a brilliant young man."

Harry turned onto his side a little eagerly. "What about Dad?"

"Well… I didn't know your father too well." She grinned a little. "He didn't exactly go out with us, getting his hair and nails done and shopping, you know."

Harry laughed.

"But I really think he'd feel the same way. He was more of a joker than Lily was, always up for having a good time. I know he'd definitely be pleased to see how much fun you have. But he could be serious, too. And… from what I knew of him, I think he'd be pleased that you know how to have a good time and take a joke, but you know when to stop and not take it too far. That's something he had to learn."

Harry nodded. "Would he approve of what I'm doing?"

Laney kissed his forehead. "Your father would approve of anything Lily approved of," she told him with a confiding grin.

Harry giggled.

"But he'd approve and be just as proud of you. He'd worry a lot more than Lily would have, about you getting hurt and not pushing yourself too much. Lily could be pretty composed and practical about things, James tended to feel a little more than think. James was kind of spontaneous, too, and sometimes had trouble sticking with something if he didn't find it fun. He'd be very impressed with you're ability to do that."

"Yeah?"

"Yep. If you'd sneeze as a baby James would want to rush you off to see a healer right that instant, but Lily would roll her eyes and tell him that sometimes a sneeze was just a sneeze."

Harry laughed.

"James would probably worry about everything you were doing, as a dad. But as just James, I think he'd find it pretty cool."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely."

"Tell me more!"

* * *

Al knocked hesitantly on Harry's door, waited a moment, and then pushed it open to peer inside. Harry was sitting up in bed, hugging a teddy bear almost half his size, looking pale, wary and upset. Al came in the rest of the way, closing the door gently behind him as he studied Harry uncertainly, not quite sure what to say.

"I'm so sorry," Harry blurted, bursting into tears.

This Al knew how to deal with. He settled next to Harry on the bed and gathered the unresisting boy into his arms to hug and rock. He didn't even try to reassure, he just let Harry cry and babble apologies until he was spent and sniffling.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Al said at last in a gentle, no-nonsense voice. "We pushed you too hard."

"I hurt you," Harry told him quietly. "I don't know what happened. I just got so upset. And then I hurt you."

"Not that badly," he assured, keeping his voice light. "A healer fixed me right up. Next day, good as new. Poke me if you don't believe me."

Harry stared at him with wide eyes.

"No, Jame," Al told him more seriously. "Don't apologize. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me. And I am. Apologizing. And I'm sorry. We never meant to push you that hard, that fast. I never meant to do that. I'm sorry."

Harry sniffled. "I'm sorry, too…"

"And you know what? I'm proud of you. But I have a very important question for you."

"I- what?"

"I'm proud of you and I have an important question."

"A question?"

"Yes."

"Uh… okay. What?"

"Have you been holding back against us?"

"What?"

"During our lessons. Have you been trying as hard as you can? Or have you been holding back?"

"Um… I don't know. I don't… think so. I'm only eight, you know."

"Hmm…"

"I'm only eight," Harry repeated. "Eight. Like, eight. Eight-years-old."

"Glad you told me that. Here I was thinking you were eighteen!" Al rolled his eyes. "You might be eight, but you're pretty good."

"Yeah, but you're an adult," Harry scoffed. "In body, at least."

"Hey…" Al snickered and shook his head. "Yeah, kid, I know. I'm an adult. But yesterday you proved that you're capable of a lot more if you're really pushed. I think… we need to train you a little harder. Not right away, mind you. This is something to work towards. But we need to be a bit less wary of hurting you a little."

"A little?" Harry asked skeptically.

"A little, yes. We'd all have to sit down and discuss it. I think you have more potential than you realize, though."

Harry continued to give him a skeptical look.

"But! More than anything, I think you need a nice break from all of this. Let you have a chance to recover. We _have_ been working you too hard."

"I wouldn't say no to a couple of weeks off," Harry ventured after several moments.

"You'll definitely have that. I think… it'd do you well to have a change of pace in your physical lessons. What would you say to going somewhere later in the summer and meeting some new people? For a different kind of training?"

"Uh…"

"We'd have to discuss it with Laney, of course. And everyone else. But I did speak briefly to Sunny about it, and he thinks the idea has some definite good points."

"Where would I go? What would I be doing?"

"Have you covered Magurists yet?"

"Um. No. Don't think so."

"Magurists are… They're people who practice magic in a different way. It's a blend of tribal and native magic, mixed with a person's individual beliefs about magic, so every Magurist practices magic in a slightly different way. It's still a cohesive group because enough of the basics are the same."

"So kind of like religion?" Harry asked with a thoughtful look. "Like you have hundreds of different little subgroups, but they're all Christian or something like that?"

"That exactly. Magurists have a very unique way of doing magic a lot of the time, their theories I mean. A lot of it looks the same or similar to what everyone else does. Some people don't think it's real because they have no success applying the Magurists theories of magic, and some think it works, but not as well as the regular way of doing it. You see, Magurists believe that magic has the same kind of sentience as other living things in the world, like trees and things like that, but that magic also has more awareness of itself and its surrounding. It's not exactly higher thinking, but a sort of intelligence and awareness and can respond to people. Magurists advocate forming a relationship with magic and working with magic, like in partnership, instead of just casting a spell and leaving it at that."

Harry gave him a vaguely puzzled look.

Al shrugged. "I know. It's an odd concept to wrap around, but-"

"Um, no," Harry interrupted. "You mean most people don't ask magic to work with them when they do stuff?"

Al stared at him. "No, most people don't."

"Oh. But wouldn't that be easier? I mean, it's magic, it likes doing magic stuff. It's not like it's going to say no if you're respectful with it. Nothing likes being told and forced to do something, you know."

"Quite so," Al said slowly. "So… that's the way you do magic?"

"Yeah. Seems pretty obvious to me."

"Hm… Magurists believe that the truest, purest way of doing magic is to do so in harmony and balance with the world. You have to find a steady grounding in magic before you should really start to study it." Al shrugged a little. "The entire thing is extremely individual and all about forming a relationship with magic, like I said. You have to find your unique place in the magical flow of the world. A true magic user should learn the flows of natural magic and learn how to follow them; they shouldn't just force a spell out however they want… Truthfully, I find it a bit weird, bit fruity, to be honest, but it seems to work for some people."

"I like the sound of it."

"It's considered to be a more peaceful way of doing magic, less disruptive to the world around you and the magic in your own body. The theory of it, at least. Working with magic, having magic guide you, help you, following the flow of natural magic…" Al shrugged. "It doesn't work for me, but it seems to be right up your alley."

Harry gave him a look. "So you're calling me fruity?"

"What? When did I say that?"

"You said you find it a bit weird and kind of fruity or something like that. Are you calling me fruity?"

"No, of course you're not fruity. You're… a vegetable."

Harry gave him an odd look before snorting with laughter. "The least smooth save I have ever heard."

Al ruffled his hair. "That's beside the point," he rushed on. "The point is, it'll do you good to spend some time around people who seem to have some similar views as you on magic. Do you good to practice magic in a more peaceful way. Not right away, of course. A month, maybe two, who knows. You'd probably be gone for four or five days."

Harry shrugged a little. "Mom makes the decisions."

"She very much does. But think about it. No point in trying to climb Mountain Mom if you don't want to go."

Harry made a face. "Al, don't ever think about climbing my mom!"

Al stared at him for several moments before he half gaped. "I didn't say that! You know what I meant!"

Harry crossed his arms. "I'm warning you, I don't want none of that around here."

Al regarded Harry with a bit of suspicion. "Are you winding me up? Trying to get me to blurt something that you'll tease me mercilessly about for months afterward? Are you trying to get me to admit I like your mom or something?"

"Do you?"

"N- Not going to answer that one! No matter what I say, I'll be wrong. I swear, you're just like a girl sometimes."

Harry sniffed.

Al groaned. "Just think about the summer thing. And only that."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I don't think Mom'll want me to go, though."

"Just think about it."

Harry shrugged. "Okay."

Al reached out and smoothed his hair back. "Feeling better, kiddo?"

Harry looked puzzled a moment, then thoughtful. He half smiled. "Yeah, I am. Not entirely, but some."

"I'm glad." Al leaned in to kiss his forehead.

"Why do you people all do that?"

"Dunno. You have a kissable forehead?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "You're a dork."

"Eh. You know what else I am?"

"A slob? A burner of grilled cheese sandwiches? A-"

"Enough out of you," Al grumbled.

"You asked."

Al snorted. "I'm silly, that's what I am-"

"I would have got there eventually," Harry cut in. "You could have just let me keep going."

"Do you know why I'm silly? No, never mind, don't answer that. I'm silly because here we've been, training you, praising you for doing so well, and then I go and underestimate what you can do." Al tsked at himself.

Harry snickered. "Yeah…"

"I'm right, you know it. Admit it. Go on."

"You're right," Harry told him with a bit of a smile.

"Yes! I'm right!"

"Not something to be proud of," Harry said with a laugh.

"Eh, I take what I can get." Al grinned. "Hey, want to see something cool that I can do?"

"Sure."

"Paying attention?"

"Yeah."

Al nodded and sat back, mouth twitching with amusement. He cleared his throat, smoothed down his shirt, opened his mouth… and trumpeted like an elephant.

Harry stared at him. "What was that?! And where did that come from?"

"I'm a mimic," Al told him with a grin. "I can copy just about any sound."

"Any sound?"

"Just about any sound."

"Even things that aren't animal sounds?"

"Sure."

"Anything at all?"

"Just about. Cool, ain't it?"

"Heck yeah! That would be so awesome!"

"Yep."

"Wow…" Harry thought about that with a slowly growing grin. "How about… a bird? No, wait! Birds are super easy. How about… hey! How about that roadrunner cartoon noise from TV? That meep beep thing?"

With a wide grin Al beep-beeped.

"Awesome! Umm… Train whistle! And train!"

Al settled back with a satisfied look as he mimicked the noises of a train going down a track, blowing its whistle.

"Cool! So… Oh! Can you do music and singing stuff, too?"

"Sure can."

"Turtles?!"

Al launched into the opening theme song for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Harry stared at him in wide-eyed delight.

"Again!" He giggled as Al repeated it. "Again! Again!"


	17. Chapter 17

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: I would like to own a cat, but I am very, quite allergic. I would also like to own Harry Potter. With my luck, I'd be allergic to him, too. Ah well.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: I think perhaps last chapter was below normal standards as I did not get as much response as expected. :wanders off musing eating a butterfinger:

Review Responses: For chapter 16 on the Ygroup. Things covered: Response to Driorianos about impressions, Harry on top of his anger; Response to LoireLoa regarding Harry going to an American school vs Hogwarts; Response to karlii about consequences for Harry's actions, the AN that confused you

AN: BRITPICKER (yes, I'm still looking, and hoping I find before I have to stop writing to do tons of research)

BETAS: Jynx67, Andrea and Megan. With their powers combined…

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 17

* * *

"So?"

Laney shrugged a little, glancing over at Kathy briefly before returning her attention to the window looking out into the backyard. Harry continued to play his Game Boy and John continued to read to him. The only indication that Harry was listening to John at all was the occasional glance up, shrug, nod or head shake.

"A shrug isn't really an answer," Kathy pointed out.

"He has ups and downs," Laney said at last. "I think we should stop the practices and defense and all of that."

"He isn't doing anything right now."

"I mean stop completely. Stop stop. Not just stop for a break."

"Ah." Kathy came to stand next to Laney in front of the window. After a little while of watching, she gave Laney's shoulder a little bump. "What's Jamie think of that?"

"I… haven't told him yet."

"Ah. 'Haven't told him', I notice."

Laney looked over with a puzzled frown. "What?"

"You haven't told him. You're not going to ask him?"

"I am the parent," Laney said a little testily, crossing her arms.

"Yes."

"He's too young to make that decision."

Kathy made a thoughtful noise.

"He is," Laney insisted.

"Maybe he is," Kathy said after a moment, voice soft. "But do you honestly think you're going to have any success in convincing him of that now? At this point?"

"He'll learn."

"Dangerous ground there, Laney," Kathy warned.

"What do you want from me?" Laney turned away from the window, crossing her arms even more tightly against her chest. "What do you want me to say? He's not happy right now, and you know, all of you know, that him being happy is the only thing that matters right now. It's not as if he needs to learn any of this!"

"I hope to God not. I really do."

"So he can just stop all of this physical defense crap. He'll continue with his karate, of course, that's fine, and he can even continue learning magic. But only certain kinds of magic. Things that aren't going to stress him out."

"Didn't you say, just after the incident, that he could continue? Didn't you already tell him that?"

Laney frowned. "Yes. But that was different. That was… he'd just woken up, okay? And I didn't want him to think there was something wrong. I didn't even realize there was something wrong at that point! I was so happy to see him wake up okay, and I thought things could continue and be normal, but they can't. I thought at the time, yes, he'd be able to continue after a break. With very strict rules and limits and just everything. But now I think it's best for him to stop until he's older. Much older."

Kathy frowned. "Laney, you're not making any sense-"

"I just feel it, okay," Laney interrupted, frowning more deeply. "I just feel it." She looked back to the window.

Outside, Harry was taking more of an interest in what John was saying. John reached over to tap Harry's hand with his wand and Harry let out an abrupt laugh. John put the book aside and conjured what looked like a red bouncy ball. Harry began to perk up and look interested and excited as John began to explain something.

"You see that?" Laney asked, gesturing to the window. "Do you see that?"

"I see it," Kathy said quietly.

"That! Up and down! I picked him up from school Friday; last day of school, he should have been bouncing off the walls, and there he was, withdrawn. He comes home, and by dinner, he's grinning and making plans to stay the night at Brian's after Tyler's birthday party on Saturday. He's excited all weekend, and on Monday, I can barely get him to stir for anything; he's just packing and shrugging. Up and down!"

A loud laugh from outside drew their attention back. Harry was levitating a ball back and forth with John, making it spin and do tricks and change colors. John did something to make the ball look like a disco ball for a handful of seconds and Harry almost dropped it from laughing so hard.

"I think he's just-"

"He's not 'just' anything," Laney interrupted. "This isn't- this isn't normal."

Kathy ran her hands back through her hair with a heavy sigh. "And later this summer? The visit to the Magurists? You told him that he could probably go."

"Probably means I can say he won't go. Probably isn't a yes."

"I think you're making a mistake there," Kathy said after several moments. "If you don't let him go."

"He doesn't need to go."

"I think he does, Laney. I really think he does. The Magurists aren't about defense or anything like that. They're about doing magic in a different way, and it seems to be in a way that Jamie is more familiar with. I think he needs to go on that trip. I think he needs to get away for a while and see another way people do magic."

"We'll see. He can always do it later."

"Laney, I think he needs to do it now. Have you talked to Dr. Peele about any of this? As Jamie's counselor, he probably has a better idea of what's going on in Jamie's head than Jamie does."

"This seems pretty straightforward. Nothing to talk to Peele about. Just stop doing what's making Jamie unhappy and everything will work out."

"I think this is more complicated than that," Kathy said after a few moments. "I really do. I don't think this is just… There's more going on here. I really think he just needs to get away."

Laney just shrugged a little.

"And I don't think you should tell Jamie any of this stuff right now," Kathy ventured carefully, watching Laney closely from the corner of her eye. "I think you need to stop and think about all of this a little longer. I think you need to let Jamie regain some of his equilibrium before you start making decisions based on behavior you're seeing."

Laney shrugged again.

"It's not as if he's miserable all the time, dreading going back to training, scared or worried or anything. He just has these mood shifts where he gets broody. He really needs time to work out what he's feeling before you start adding more things for him to think about."

"The longer I put this off-"

"The better it'll be for him, I expect," Kathy interrupted. "You're in the middle of a big life change right now, Laney. He's leaving the only home he can really remember and moving someplace new. As excited as he is about the new house, you have to consider that some of his up and down feelings right now are about leaving here."

"This move should be a happy one, damn it, and now…"

"It's still a happy one," Kathy said dryly. "Or are you not recalling Jamie's eager excitement at _cleaning up_ the new house? At stripping the walls of paint and repairing cracks in the walls and scrubbing down the bathrooms, for goodness sake. I think he's more than happy about the new house. That doesn't mean he's not also apprehensive about the move."

"But he's-"

"Come on, Laney," Kathy interrupted. "Be reasonable."

"I just don't know what to do," Laney said softly after a tense silence. "I feel like I'm failing him as a mom…"

Kathy moved over to put an arm around Laney and pull her into a hug. "Never. You're doing an amazing job with him, Laney. Just because things sometimes don't go the way we want and sometimes you make a mistake, that doesn't mean you're not being a great mom."

"It doesn't feel like it," Laney whispered, sucking in a shaky breath. "It just doesn't…"

"Give it time, Laney," Kathy said, rubbing her back. "Just give it time. Focus on the new house. Talk to Dr. Peele. Actually ask Jamie what he wants to do, but let him have some time first. And let him go see the Magurists. He's so eager and excited at the thought, Laney. Let him have that."

"I don't know."

"Don't add any more changes to his life right now."

Laney bit her lip. "I have to think about this…"

"Of course. Come on, sit down. I'll make you a cup of tea."

Laney pulled away with a half sniffle, rubbing at her eyes impatiently. "No. I'll make a cup of tea. You still can't seem to get it right. It's not as if it's complicated."

Kathy shrugged. "I like my tea very sweet and very cold. All this hot tea and milk and whatever else stuff is just weird."

"Don't get me started on weird."

* * *

"So what do you think?"

"I think I can't believe it's the beginning of July and we're almost ready to move into the new place." Laney began to pull her hair up into a ponytail.

"Jamie's been a huge factor in the progress of repairs." Cam twirled her fingers over the two glasses of lemonade and brought them to the table. She pushed one of the glasses over to Laney as she sat down.

"No kidding." Laney took a drink and sighed with enjoyment at the taste. "Excellent as ever."

"Thank you."

"And as for Jamie… I can't believe last week…"

"Believe me, we were just as surprised as you by that. Then again, we suppress so much of his magic and potential just so we can all work together safely."

"That stone wall just shattered…"

"Not the entire wall, to be fair."

Laney snorted. "No, just a huge chunk of it several feet across."

"Raw power. The kid's definitely got it."

Laney rubbed her fingers over the side of the glass, giving Cam a puzzled look. "John gave Jamie a rather odd look after that. What was that about?"

"No idea. I'm on the bottom of the totem pole of Auror-awesomeness here. I don't learn stuff for a while."

Laney snorted again. "And again, I have you to thank for Jamie's new phrases."

Cam preened.

"That's not a compliment."

"It is to me."

"Does that mean I have you to thank for Jamie's interesting perception of reality, as well?"

"Oh no, that kid's reality is all his own."

Laney smiled fondly and then snorted. "I notice that you've been the one sitting out of the magical clean-up and repairs and Jamie has taken possession of your wand to do just that."

"Alas, again, I'm at the bottom of the Auror-awesomeness." Cam sighed tragically before laughing. "Though, really, I'm sort of useless with this stuff. As an Auror, my strength is in tracking and bringing down the bad guys with subtle little tricks of magic. Brute strength and power are not my specialty. And I seem to lack that male superpower that lets them hammer a nail in straight or cut a board along a line, with magic or without it. I hate to admit it, but in this home repair business, my wand is put to better use in Jamie's hand."

Laney shrugged. "It's nice to have company in doing the boring, non-magical stuff."

They both jumped a little at a loud bang from outside. From somewhere in the area of the bang, Harry began to giggle.

"Life will be very interesting with that kid."

Laney nodded in agreement and took another slow drink. "This week we'll get the plumbing looked at and the building inspected and all of that. It feels strange. All this sudden repair and now I'm left waiting two weeks or so for the non-magical repairs to get done. Magic really has made a short job of this, I must admit. So much so that I'm feeling vaguely irritated by how slow the non-magical work will take. And two weeks is nothing."

"Warming up to magic?"

Laney smiled a little. "Guess I am. I sort of have to for Jamie."

"Will you be getting the rooms expanded, then?"

"It's really safe?"

"Very. We have teams come in and do that sort of thing all the time. In fact, almost all magical buildings are expanded in some way."

"What about that potions lab thing Jamie wants? Is it safe to have in the house? Should we really have it upstairs?"

"Yes, it'll be safe in the house, and it'll be safe upstairs. He won't be doing much of anything dangerous right now. If he really gets into potions when he's older, we may want to consider a building in the backyard for a separate potions lab, but maybe not. There's a lot of special warding and safety spells you can use."

Laney nodded.

"But that's in the future. Hard to say how things will go between now and then."

Laney laughed. "It might feel like it's far in the future, but it feels like only yesterday Jamie was a wide-eyed four year old. Time moves in strange ways when you're a mom."

Cam laughed. "That's a big of a strange way there, Lane. You jumped almost five years overnight if he was four yesterday."

Laney threw a wadded up paper towel at her. "You know what I mean."

Another bang followed by giggles from outside made them both jump again and Laney laughed. "I guess that's our cue to get back to work."

* * *

"Nervous?"

Harry nodded.

"They'll like you," Terry reassured. "You met Matthew and liked him. I think you'll do fine."

"Where am I going again?"

"Not far at all. The nearby Indian Reservation. They have a significant magical population, given the size of the Reservation, and there's an area shared by the local Magurists. Traditionally the Magurists have always gotten on well with the native magical users, seeing as how they've borrowed a lot of the tribal magic and philosophy to build their system."

Harry nodded, looking a little distracted.

"Suntree will be staying with you and you'll only be there four days," Terry reminded. "Unless you really like it and want to stay longer, of course."

"I know."

"I bet you'll have lots of fun." Cam poked his side. "And guess what? Kathy and I are going to drag your mom out and make her have fun. Hair, nails, spa days, shopping and a ton of movies just filled with hunks to swoon over. We're going to have ourselves a four day girls' day out and slumber party extravaganza."

Harry giggled. "Sounds fun."

"Yup, us girls are going to have a grand ol' girl time."

Terry shook his head. "And I'm going to be staying away from the week of girls running amok. Far, far away."

Harry giggled again.

"So, we all ready?" Terry ruffled his hair.

Harry nodded. "And don't mess with the hair."

Cam snorted.

"We've got the Portkey ready." Terry's mouth twitched with amusement at Harry's dismayed expression. "And we've got all your stuff attached to the Portkey. Run upstairs and give everyone hugs and kisses before you go."

* * *

"They should be arriving by Portkey any minute now." Cam idly flicked her wand at the counter and a couple more cookies jumped over to her plate. Laney gave her a look. "It'll be good having the kid back in the house," Cam went on, ignoring the look as she munched on a chocolate chip cookie.

"It will."

"You know, Lane, just because Jamie wanted to stay longer doesn't mean he didn't miss you."

"I know."

"He was just having a blast. You talked to Suntree. The entire Magurist community adored him."

"I know."

"He was only gone two weeks."

"I know."

Cam laughed. "Glad you know."

"It's just hard, you know? He's just eight. By Oz…" Laney groaned. "And now you've got me saying magical phrases."

"Fabulous."

Laney threw a balled up napkin at Cam. "But my God, he'll be nine in just two weeks. Where has all the time gone?"

"Haven't we had this conversation before?" Cam asked with a snicker, tossing the napkin back. "It went where all time goes. He's growing up. It happens to kids all the time."

"He's growing up too fast…"

"They all do, Lane."

Laney sighed. Cam got up to pour herself some more milk just as there was a thump from the entrance hall. It was followed by a delighted giggle and pounding footsteps as they dashed right towards the kitchen. Laney was up just in time for Harry to throw himself at her in a hug.

"Mom! I missed you!"

"I missed you, too, Jame. Have fun?"

"Oh yes!" He pulled away to grin at them as Suntree came into the room, looking a bit more dignified as he went straight to the fridge for a drink. "Oh yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

"Tell us about it." Laney steered Harry over to a chair and sat down next to him once she got him several cookies and a glass of milk. Harry leaned into her, a cookie forgotten in his hand as he began to talk.

"It was so much fun! The buildings where the Magurists stayed looked so small on the outside and inside they were huuuge. They said it's because of the type of wood they used and how it was infused with magic, that it made it possible to press space into the wood even more than regular wood so they were able to expand the inside areas even more. And they showed me how space layering worked! It was so awesome!" He took a big bite of cookie but didn't try and talk around it when Laney gave him a warning look.

"Rest assured, Jamie can't do it yet," Suntree said dryly, sitting at the table. "He's learning the theory as fast as he can, but we've talked about this and he won't be experimenting with anything without permission and supervision."

Harry gave an enthusiastic nod.

"And I saw animal changers, Mom! Animagus! There were so many of them! Almost everyone! And I got books to learn that, too!"

"Again, proper supervision before he tries anything at all."

"Yeah, yeah." Harry made a face at Suntree. "And lots of people had more than one Animagus form!"

Laney gave him a startled look. "What? But, no, only one is possible."

"Only one is possible in other magic systems," Suntree clarified as Harry chewed hard on his cookie. A flick of Suntree's hand brought a napkin to Harry's mouth and Harry used it with a sheepish smile. "In other systems, people learn the Animagus transformation later in life, mid-teens into the early adult years. They also learn a more restrictive and ritualized way of doing it."

Laney shook her head slowly. "But how does that make a difference?"

"Hey, for once I can actually answer a question," Cam said with a laugh. "See, children Harry's age-"

"Oi!"

Cam laughed. "Sorry, but you are a child."

"Don't discriminate against me because I'm young."

Laney snorted.

"Juvenile?"

Harry made a face.

"There's no pleasing some people. Fine. See, the younger a person is, the less shaped their personality is-"

"Oi!"

Cam gave him a look. Harry grinned against his napkin, giving a wave. "Fine, you may continue."

"Thanks ever so." Cam rolled her eyes. "So, the sooner you start learning the Animagus transformation and the sooner you have the power to transform into that animal, the more likely it is you'll still be open enough about who you are as a person to discover another animal persona that fits you nearly as well as the first."

"A lot of magic systems have either forgotten that, since it's related to more ancient and tribal magics, or the government and schools suppress it because it also helps a person develop finer magical control," Suntree added. "A person with less actual power but a lot of fine control over that power will often seem more powerful than someone with less control and more power."

"Oh." Laney sat back. "I don't know. It just doesn't seem possible, having more than one…"

"It is," Suntree told her.

"I saw it, Mom!"

"And Jamie is learning this?"

"Yeah! Isn't that so awesome, Mom?"

Laney put an arm around him. "Sure. So how long will it be?"

Jamie shrugged.

"A while," Suntree answered when Laney looked to him. "Definitely won't happen this year, maybe not for a few years. The youngest Animagus of known record was several months shy of twelve."

Everyone glanced at Harry. Harry grinned a big, chocolate grin. "I'm gonna do it before eleven."

"So Jamie claims," Suntree cautioned. "There's no guarantee of that. He has to learn a lot of stuff first."

"I'm still gonna do it."

"We'll see."

"I'm learning meditation, too, Mom! And mind shielding!"

"Occlumency," Cam volunteered.

Laney frowned slightly. "That's supposed to be very difficult, I thought."

"Even more so for children," Suntree said with a nod. "Because young minds are more restless and still developing."

"But not impossible." Harry gave them an almost challenging look. "Nami said that. He told me that it's not impossible. You just have to be focused and determined and really work for it. And I will be."

"I'm sure you will, sweetie." Laney kissed his hair fondly. "My, my. Animagus theory and Occlumency and meditation. What else are you learning now?"

"Oneness," Harry answer promptly. "It's being a part of magic and flowing with magic and being grounded in magic, instead of just working with the flow of magic. They said I can do that. Not everyone can, but I can." Harry grinned. "Because I'm special. And oneness is so nice and calm."

"And that's where we were making our mistake," Suntree said with a wan smile. "We kept working him up and he didn't have a way to settle properly afterward. But now we know how to work the bracelets, and he knows how to let go of the anger when it's all over so it doesn't keep building up."

Laney made a vague noise of acknowledgement.

"But that's getting all sorted out now," Harry said brightly. "And they said I can wait until after my birthday to start all that up again." He made a face. "I hate those bracelets. But I have to admit that they do give me a learning curve."

Laney laughed. "That's my little over achiever."

Harry gave her a chocolaty kiss. With a sigh, Laney wiped the chocolate off her cheek.

"We have also come to realize that we need to back off and let Jamie just revel and enjoy magic," Suntree put in. "We have to stop making everything about lessons."

Cam nodded. "We kind of forgot about doing that because he loved the lessons so much."

"Give him time to flow with the magic and be in cosmic harmony with the world."

Laney snorted as Harry giggled into his napkin.

"I can't believe you just said that with a straight face," Cam remarked with a snigger.

Suntree gave them a serene smile.

"Where's everyone else?" Harry asked after a few moments silence.

"Because obviously our lives revolve completely around you," Suntree remarked, stealing the last cookie off Cam's plate.

"Oi, old man."

"Old man," Suntree agreed. "And there you are, a young woman completely able to get up and get more cookies."

Cam gave him a look and got up to do just that.

"Why are we eating cookies, anyway?" Jamie asked. "Isn't it near supper time?"

"You're quite right," Laney said with a grin. "No more cookies, Cam."

"Aww… Why'd you have to go and ruin my cookie fun, little man?"

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"But Kathy's gone into town," Laney told Harry, drawing his attention back to her. "She'll be back in about an hour with Chinese food. Terry says he'll drop by later tonight to see how you enjoyed your trip."

"And Al's visiting Disney with his family," Cam added.

"Disney?!" Harry gave them an appalled look.

"It's not as much fun as all that, kid, trust me." Cam laughed. "He sounded miserable, actually, when I talk to him on the phone. He says Disney's no fun when you're there with a large family that includes kids starting at age two and going up into their teens, all the way to grandparents in their eighties."

Harry settled down with a little nod. "That's okay, then."

Cam snorted. "Nice to know you're so supportive."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"We should go unpack your stuff. I'm sure you'll be far too busy this upcoming week exploring the new house and making your room just the way you want it." Laney stood up. "Let's see how much weird stuff you brought back with you."

Harry grinned. "Not that much."

"You probably have an entire suitcase full of stuff."

"Don't be silly, Mom. Not an _entire_ suitcase."

* * *

"Do I have to say 'I told you so', or is it pretty much obvious?"

Laney rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Kathy came into the room with a grin and poked around the new office. "He seems quite well adjusted now."

"He is," Laney agreed. "Much better adjusted."

"Still not letting him make the decision on continuing his physical defense lessons? With or without the bracelets."

Laney sighed softly and spun her chair around to face Kathy. Kathy barely glanced away from the new photo album Laney had on the coffee table, half put together, of the new house and Harry's house adventures. "I did decide to talk to him about it once he settled back in. It would have been to let him know why I very strongly discouraged him continuing, but that I wasn't taking the decision away from him unless he didn't agree to abide by some very strict rules."

"And? I'm noting a 'it would have been' past tense."

"And… he came to me first," Laney said after a few moments. "And he was so… he was so mature about it… He's changed so much from this trip, Kathy. He's changed so much…"

"He still seems the same bouncing, giggling, hyperactive, adorable, exasperating-"

"Yes, entirely," Laney interrupted with an eye roll. "But there's something else there now. Or maybe there's something there that hasn't been for a while, since the bracelets really started to drag him down. I don't know. But he's… he has a so much more mature and serious side."

"He always has, Laney," Kathy said quietly.

"But there's something else there now…"

"So he came to you?" Kathy prompted after Laney's reflective silence began to stretch.

"Yeah. He talked about the natural flows of magic in the world and the strength and support of ley lines. He told me that the magic around him was a hum he couldn't hear or feel unless he was concentrating, but that it was still a hum, and with the bracelets on, they completely shut him off from it and it was disconcerting and even a little bit frightening, and he didn't even realize it.

"He told me the Magurists created new bracelets for him, stronger in containment, but free-flowing to let magic in, just not out. So that he wasn't cut off from the flows, because the hum going away was suddenly like going deaf and blind and not even being able to realize why you're just stumbling around.

"He said that the Magurists helped him resettle his magic, helped him become aware of his own magic and to know when to say stop, to meditate and balance and calm himself. But they felt the bracelets were necessary. Not to boost Jamie's ability, though that would continue to be a side effect, but to help him separate himself from his magic a little… I'm not sure I entirely understood that part, though."

"I don't understand half of what most Magurists say," Kathy said a little dryly. "Go on."

"Well, it was that… the magic was improving his abilities too much… that it was too close to the skin, or something. That's how Jamie put it. The magic is too close to the skin because it's been boosting him all along, helping him improve beyond his actual ability. The bracelets cut him off from that and it'll let his body and magic relearn what his natural limits are and that will improve the magical protection that all magical people have…"

"Yeah, the magical protection that helps keep us safe as we zip around at high speeds on brooms and enables us to take a lot of magical impact from spells and stuff like that." Kathy closed the album and rested her elbows on her knees. "And what about the major boosting that happens after the bracelets come off?"

"Jamie said that it wouldn't be as big, but it'd still be there, and it'd be safe because it's not an on-going, all the time kind of thing. That it has a trigger, instead of just being on constantly."

Kathy nodded. "So he came to you and said all this and…?"

"He came to me and laid everything out; talked about the bracelets, the change in the design, let me know how he was really feeling about everything that happened with Al and all of that. And then he told me he wanted to keep up with the physical defense; that was his choice, but that he'd respect any decision I make…"

"And?"

"What could I do?" Laney asked with a little, almost helpless shrug. "What could I do, really? He came to me with so much maturity and just talked and talked and then gave me this guarded, hopeful look and told me it was entirely my decision… I just couldn't say no."

Kathy got up and went over to perch on the desk, dropping an arm around Laney's shoulders.

"But there're new rules. I cut down on the time he's doing that stuff and increased how many breaks he has to take with the bracelets off and we've all agreed that some anger and frustration is fine, but there will be no pushing his limits."

"Sounds like a good plan."

"And Jamie even agreed to cut things short if he's feeling too unhappy. He understands that he won't be letting anyone down if he can't take an entire lesson and that he can stop at any time he wants and he can decide not to do it on any day he wants and no one will think any less of him."

"How's he like that?"

"He seems happy about it. Like he doesn't feel as much need to prove himself now… I don't know how long it'll last. He's a little too much of a perfectionist and he's entirely too hard on himself, but… it's something for now."

"It is," Kathy agreed.

Laney sat back. "And I'm pretty much satisfied with all of that."


	18. Chapter 18

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: You know… I think I could sorta say I own Jamie, or at least have reasonable claim to him as he is… but sadly there's not enough owning there for me to run away with him to Bermuda and write fun, slashy tales for money. Ah well.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: My favorite color is rich dark brown. So very pretty. And this chapter is long and full of stuff. :happy claps:

Review Responses: No Reviews Responses. Been busy. Though Honeyed Amber, thanks for pointing out the Jamie/Harry thing. I think I caught them and changed them when I re-uploaded. And karlii, I think I answered a couple of those questions in your last review on the last review response on the ygroup. But I'll get to the others shortly :gryn: the ones that you don't have to just wait and see the answer for, at least.

AN1: BRITPICKER (yes, I'm still looking, and hoping I find before I have to stop writing to do tons of research)

**AN2: ****Berlin**** Wall. Magical ****Germany****. Impressions of events of late 1989.** I was very young at this time and I may be rather off on this as this is solely based on research, and obviously on speculation on how the magical community would have been affected. So please know I mean no offense if for some reason there's something offensive, and I don't mean to give the wrong impression of things. I'm doing my very best on this and wouldn't have included it except… it's something that's hard to ignore seeing as how big a thing I've always gotten the impression it was.

BETAS: Jynx67, Andrea, Megan. Awesome.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 18

* * *

"I did it! I did it, Mom! Mooom! I did it!"

Laney came out of her office, holding a folded newspaper in one hand. "What did you do?"

Practically vibrating from excitement, Harry showed her the bracelets on his wrists. "And I stayed calm the entire lesson! Even when Cam took over, and boy she's a lot better at this physical stuff than I would have thought!"

"Really now?"

"She kicked my butt, Mom! And I didn't get mad at all! Okay, no, I got pretty irritated… But I didn't let it bug me!"

"He did do really well," Cam called out from the kitchen. "We're going to keep this up for a couple weeks. If he continues to perform the same we'll be changing up his training some and I'll be taking over."

Laney followed Harry into the kitchen, at a far more reasonable pace. When she got there Harry was sitting at the table, legs swinging wildly, sipping on a glass of water. Laney joined them.

"He needs to learn that women can be just as much a threat," Cam remarked, taking a drink of her own glass of water. "That's one of the reasons I'll be taking over his physical training."

"They can be a threat," Laney agreed.

"I'm also a fair bit closer to Jamie's size, weight and strength, so we're both less likely to get hurt and we won't have to be quite as careful."

"That means she's going to kick my butt a lot, Mom," Harry said with a grin. "But it's kind of fun now that I'm getting better and I do all that fun meditation stuff."

"Only you, kid."

"Love you, too, Mom."

"And my taking over the physical lessons mean means the others will be focusing on more advanced potions, theory, wand work, shields, etcetera," Cam finished. "But only if he keeps up his regular grades."

"Which I will," Harry said hastily.

"Good." Laney gave him a smile. "How's the shed working?"

"Oh. My. God! It's so cool, Mom. It's super awesome! It looks so small outside and then it's so big inside and I thought it'd suck, me not having my lab right nearby, but it's so much nicer over there. I can't wait for my first lesson! And that big room in the back just for my martial art and physical stuff makes things so much better!"

Laney laughed.

"Not cool at all I have to quit regular karate, but I understand. I can't be super good one day and not so good another." Harry shrugged. "But at least I still have gymnastics!"

"Like that, do you?"

"Tons!"

"Guess Mom made a good decision putting you in gymnastics when you were younger," Laney said with a smile.

Harry grinned. "Stop fishin' for compliments."

"So what happened to waiting until after your birthday to start up the physical fighting lessons?"

"Well… I really thought I'd gotten it figured out, how to control my anger, and I just couldn't wait to see, and so I had Cam help me, and I was right, Mom, I was right, I did have it figured out and-"

"Breathe," Laney interrupted.

Harry sucked in a big breath, grinning.

"I'm seriously considering putting you in singing lessons, kid."

Harry gave her a bright look. "Really? Wait, where'd that come from?"

"Your sing-song babble just reminded me of it."

"Why lessons?"

Laney rolled her eyes at Cam. "You obviously haven't been paying attention to him. He sings all the damn time."

Harry's eyes widened. "You said the d- word, Mom."

"Only way to describe it."

"Wow."

"He doesn't sound bad," Cam said with a laugh.

"No, he doesn't."

"No, I don't," Harry preened.

"But he doesn't sound wonderful, either."

"Aw, Mom."

"The truth. If you're going to insist on singing all the time, you're going to start taking singing lessons."

"Cool! I'm gonna sing, I'm gonna sing, oh yes I am, oh yes I am, I'm-"

"Whoa kid," Laney interrupted with a wince. "How about you not sing all the time and I get you lessons anyway?"

Harry laughed. "But I've got to sing sometimes! What's the point of lessons, then?"

"Very well. Sometimes."

"I got to get," Cam said, glancing at the clock. "Happy early-birthday, kid. Blow out some candles for me tomorrow."

"Thanks!" Harry got up to hug her tightly.

"We'll see you in three days when we have our magical party, right?"

Cam nodded to Laney's question.

Harry grinned. "Awesome!"

Cam ruffled his hair with a smile and headed out back to Disapparate.

"Now go upstairs and shower," Laney told Harry with a grin. "You're stinking up my kitchen."

Harry stuck out his tongue, but skipped out of the kitchen anyway.

* * *

"Looks like we've missed a gift," Cam said with a grin.

"For me?"

"No, for the other Jamie getting birthday presents today." Suntree pushed the long package over.

"Ha ha." Harry accepted the long, bulky package with puzzlement, running his hands over the top of the box. "Has an odd magical feel," he muttered. "Hm…"

He didn't notice the looks exchanged by some of the Aurors and Suntree's mouthed, "His sensing's getting stronger."

"You could just open it," Kathy said dryly, giving Suntree a faint nod.

"Who's it from?" Harry asked, looking around eagerly.

Kathy rolled her eyes. "You could just look at the tag."

Harry stuck out his tongue but turned the tag over. "Al? But you gave me some stuff already."

"So?"

Harry grinned. "Yeah!" He eagerly set to opening the package, as neatly as his curiosity would allow, and soon enough he was wide-eyed and open-mouthed. "No way. No way!" He pulled it out carefully and stared in awe at the broom. "No! Way!"

"Total way!" Al grinned back.

"Awesome!" Harry froze after a few moments of running his hands reverently over the broom and slowly looked up at Laney.

"I knew about it," she assured him with a wan smile. "And you'd better believe there're going to be rules to follow."

Harry nodded.

"Starting with: you'll always have to have adult supervision," Laney continued sternly.

Harry nodded eagerly.

"You will not go any higher or faster than you're allowed or the broom will be taken away for three months, no negotiation."

Harry nodded again.

"You will not dive or turn upside down or twist around or pull any other stunts or the broom will be taken away for three months, no negotiation."

Harry gave a half nod, rubbing his fingers over the carved company logo.

"And-"

"Hey, Lane," Al interrupted. "Just let him enjoy having a broom right now, yeah?"

Laney gave Al a look but subsided when Al just continued to stare at her.

"Well, come on," Cam said with a grin as the silence stretched. "Let's see what kind it is!"

* * *

"Wow, this place is big."

Harry grinned and snagged Brian's sleeve to pull him along. "Come on! Stop gaping at the house; it's too hot outside for that."

Brian glanced behind them as he was pulled up the steps onto the wrap-around porch. "Is your uncle always that weird?" he muttered.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You ask me that every time you spend more than ten minutes around Suntree and the answer is always the same. Yes, Suntree really is as weird as he seems."

"I mean, going on about the last time he had a dog for a partner and stuff. They don't really do that in real life, do they? He was just kidding, right? I mean, _Turner and Hooch_, that sort of stuff is just a movie."

"Yeah, sure, no, of course not."

Brian gave him a weird look. "And what were you answering there?"

"The questions," Harry told him brightly. "Look!" Harry waved around at the large entry room. "So much space. Put your bag down, let me show you around."

"So your uncle didn't have a dog for a partner?" Brian asked, glancing around in the living room without much interest. "I mean, I know he said he was a detective in a big city up north…"

"K-9 units? Maybe he worked with someone there."

Brian brightened at the thought. "That's cool."

"Yep." Harry pulled Brian into the hallway. "There's the bathroom there and then that's my mom's office and her bedroom and-"

"Are you two back from the movie already?" Laney called from the office.

"Yeah, Mom! It was funny!"

Laney came out of the office. "Hello, Brian. Did you have a good summer?"

"It was okay. You know. Visiting people and stuff."

"Let me know if you two go outside to play."

"Okay. I'm just going to show Brian around and stuff."

Laney laughed and nodded. "Be good."

"Of course!" Harry pulled Brian into the kitchen. "Kitchen!"

"Wow, it's a kitchen."

Harry stuck out his tongue. "And then the dining room and the laundry room and out back and the porch, but that's boring! Upstairs is way cooler." Harry nudged him back through the living room and up the stairs, stopping long enough for Brian to grab his overnight bag.

"Holy crap, you have another living room upstairs?" Brian asked once they'd come far enough up the stairs to see the large open area beyond them.

"This is the TV room." Harry grinned. "Downstairs is the living room. Only thing down there is a bunch of places to sit and the fireplace. This is where we have the movies and stereo and everything."

"I can see that… You don't have as many movies as I remember." Brian wandered over to the cabinet. The television was taking up almost two thirds of the space, the stereo equipment taking up a good portion of what was left. There were only a couple shelves of music and movies.

"We're storing them in the library right now," Harry told him. "We'll probably put a cabinet in here after a while, but for now they're fine in the library."

"You've got a _library_ in this house?"

Harry grinned even more. "This way! It's a small room. Very small room. Like the size of a big bathroom. But it's just shelves and books." Harry happily dragged him away from the two rooms next to the television room that stored all of the magical things too small to pass unnoticed and the Floo connected fireplace. They had curiosity dampeners on them, but he didn't want to test them while the magic was still settling.

Brian peered past the entrance into the room Harry stopped in front of. It was just about the size of a large bathroom and was shelves floor to ceiling along the walls and down the middle of the space. More than a few shelves were filled with movies and music. Books occupied half of the remaining space and the rest was just waiting to be filled. "I know your family likes books a lot, but… isn't this a bit much?"

"Don't be silly." Harry grabbed his sleeve and pulled him the few feet to the end of the hall. "Down there's a guest room with, you know, a bed and dresser and stuff. Oh! Other bathroom is over there, down that tiny little hallway between the TV room and the library nook thing. And oh, that hallway over there, that's just Mom's stuff. Her photography stuff. Not allowed in there. And here's my room!"

"So your mom has her room downstairs and you have yours upstairs?"

"Uh huh." Harry switched on the light and shoved his chair under the desk. "Ta da!"

"And look, you have a bookshelf in here, too," Brian said with an eye roll.

"Don't look at the bookshelf! Look at the room! Isn't it awesome?"

Brian looked around, dropping his bag beside the desk. "It looks a lot like your old room. You got the Turtle posters up."

"Of course. They so totally went up first!"

Brian snorted.

"Look! I've got a big, squishy chair! And my own bathroom!"

Brian looked up at the large poster on the ceiling. "What's that?"

"It's the Andromeda Galaxy! Is that not the most awesome poster ever?"

"You're so weird."

"And yet you're my friend," Harry teased, casually picking up a magical toy from where it was peeking out under his bed and dropping it in the dresser drawer that was charmed not to be noticed. Brian continued to study the games on Harry's bookshelf.

"You get rid of some of your games?"

"Nah. They're in the guest room in a couple of drawers of one of the dressers."

"And you still don't have a TV."

"Because there's a huuuge TV right down the hall. Duh."

"Whatever. Hey! When'd you get a Game Boy?" Brian picked up the box marked 'GAMES' and began to go through it. "Got that, got that, got that, don't have that, must borrow that, got that…"

"Beginning of the summer," Harry told him, coming over and taking the box away. "You can look at that later. Come on, let's go out back. The property extends way back into the woods and there's a lake and a couple of trails that wind around and lead back here and-"

"I thought you said it was too hot outside," Brian pointed out with a grin, following Harry out of the room nonetheless.

"Too hot to stand around gawking at the house. Not too hot to go play in the woods!" Harry bounded down the stairs.

Laney yelled something from her office. Harry couldn't make out the words but he didn't need to. He stopped pounding down the stairs.

"Knew you were gonna get in trouble."

Harry stuck his tongue out at Brian and stopped just shy of the kitchen to call down the hallway. "Going outside, Mom!"

"Let Suntree know!"

"Sunny!"

"I'm three feet away from you, child."

Harry twisted around and grinned at Suntree. Suntree saluted with his spoon and ate another spoonful of yogurt. "I'm going outside," Harry informed him.

"I recall hearing that, yes. Don't wander too far."

"Of course not. Only to the moon."

"Don't forget your spacesuit."

"Got it in my pocket."

"Good boy. Have fun."

"Come on!" Harry pulled Brian through the kitchen and laundry and onto the back porch.

"Your family is so weird."

* * *

"So…?"

Laney looked up from her desk and then twirled the chair around. "Hey, Kath."

"Did you know Cam's in the kitchen putting away groceries?"

"No, really? Cam's hiding groceries at my house?" Laney rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. I didn't have time to get the grocery shopping done today. When Cam popped in to drop something off, she offered to go for me."

"So what are you doing?"

"Well, I've got this amazing offer to take some photos of something…"

"But?"

"It'd involve me being away for four days," Laney said with a bit of a sigh. "And that's not really feasible."

"Why?" Kathy shrugged. "I could stay with Jamie while you're gone. I can't think of anything else that might interfere. It's not like you don't have the money to travel wherever you need, and if you like, I'm sure we could arrange a Portkey to get you there and back faster."

"I'm not so sure I should just leave him like that…"

Kathy laughed. "Laney, honey, he spent two weeks this summer with Suntree and some Magurists. He spent a week with Al and his family. He spent part of his spring break with Al and his family. He's stayed over at my place on overnight visits several times. He's well accustomed to being away from you at this point; you don't have to feel like you're abandoning him."

"But it's never been during school. He has so much going on during the school year."

"I'm sure what one woman has been accomplishing all this time by herself, five Aurors will be able to handle for four days."

Laney sighed a little.

"If it's that big of a deal you should talk to Jamie's counselor about this. You're still seeing Peele regularly, right?"

"Yes. Once a week, in fact. And he has gymnastics every Saturday, and Cam has that Native American friend of hers who comes every other Saturday to spend time with Jamie on meditation, Occlumency and Animagus trances, whatever the heck those are. Al decided to find a singing teacher for Jamie, so he's doing that now-"

Kathy's brows went up. "Al?"

Laney shrugged. "Al overheard me mentioning it again and he jumped in and said he'd take care of it, to make sure we got a good teacher and that Harry didn't seriously injure himself."

Kathy's brows went up even more. "Injure himself? With singing lessons?"

Laney shrugged again. "Al went on about training muscles when you take singing lessons and how children's muscles are developing so rapidly that one wrong thing can make the muscles themselves develop improperly and sometimes not even magic can fix it when someone gets older. He definitely seemed to know what he was talking about. He was quite technical."

"Huh." Kathy laughed. "Well, he is the sound expert."

"He knows someone who's worked with the Aurors in the past and once Sunny approves of the guy, Jamie can meet with him for some lessons. Al said the man knows how to handle training a child's voice using magical techniques, that he'd trained with the man, once his magic began to manifest through sound and he absolutely had to have training."

Kathy nodded. "I can see that."

"So Jamie's taking singing lessons once a week now, one more lesson, on top of the meditation and gymnastics and Animagus whatever, and of course he's got soccer practice twice a week, and some sort of magical lesson almost every day of the week, from physical training to potions to theory to advanced wand work and I don't even know what else."

"Laney, sweetie, Jamie's the one that's supposed to be frazzled by everything he's doing. Not you." Kathy came over to sit on the coffee table near the desk. "Listen, we can take care of all that while you're away. We'll even stop the physical defense lessons while you're gone. But it sounds like you could do with a break. And, hell- heck, sorry -Cam or I could even go with you, if you like."

Laney glanced towards the office doorway. "Cam's a sweet girl…"

"Who is in fact older than you," Kathy said with amusement. "But I know what you mean. I'd be more than happy to go with you. Suntree can take over things while you're gone. I know you trust Suntree."

"I trust all of you." Laney sighed a little. "But what about Jamie?"

"Talk to him. You taught the kid to be honest. Sometimes he's a little too honest. He's not going to act like he's okay with this if he isn't."

Laney sat back slowly. "I kind of feel guilty because it looks so tempting to just get away," she admitted quietly. "I love Jamie, I do-"

"But you need a couple of 'you' days," Kathy suggested. "I know. He's a good kid. He's a great kid. But every parent needs a break every once and a while. You probably didn't even realize how nice breaks could be until he started going off visiting, and then you suddenly found time for yourself."

"Yeah…"

"Talk to Jamie. Plan to go. I'll go with you. We'll leave Suntree in charge. He might be a bachelor, but at least he knows there's more to life than pizza, soda and Chinese takeaway."

Laney laughed. "Terry's not that bad."

"Terry's a wonderful young man. But you've heard the horror stories of his fridge."

"Last I heard, Jamie's been keeping that fridge under control." Laney grinned. "He even took Terry out shopping for some real food to keep in it."

"At least we know if he takes over the world, it'll be for everyone's own good."

"Yeah… You really think I should go?"

"I think it'd do you and everyone else good. We all might not be related by blood, Lane, but we all consider the kid family."

"He thinks the same way. And I guess when you come down to it, I guess I feel the same way."

"And family takes care of each other."

Laney smiled a little.

Kathy grinned. "And family tells other family members when they're acting like silly asses."

Laney groaned. "Go away, you, before I change my mind and don't take you with me to New England."

"Ooh, pretty area. I'll behave."

"Good."

"And talk to Peele."

"Yeah, I'll do that. And Jamie, yeah, I'll talk to him, too. Mention it to Suntree?"

"Sure."

"And go make sure Cam hasn't bought a lot of junk food in addition to my list, would you?"

Kathy laughed. "Will do."

* * *

"Hey, Halley."

"Well, you're not crying. Right now, at least." The healer glanced across the mat covered room to where Cam was sprawled out on her back, a pillow under a foot. She raised a hand when Halley looked over.

"Yo."

"For goodness sake." Halley advanced on Cam, wand drawn, already running a diagnostic spell. "This is the tenth time I've been called out here in three months. And we're only halfway through October."

"Keeping you in business," Cam said with a weak grin.

"Not for me this time, though," Harry piped up, trailing after Halley and biting his lip a little.

"Neither was last time. The time before that, you just had a sprained wrist." Halley put her wand away with a sigh and sat down beside Cam, opening up her healer bag. "Broken ankle."

Cam sighed. "That's what I thought."

Harry sat down on Cam's other side and snuck his hand into hers. "I'm sorry."

"No apologies, kiddo." She squeezed his hand. "I wasn't paying attention and you hit me with a damned good tripping jinx. Broken ankle's nothing. If it'd been one of the guys, they probably would have sent me flying across the room."

"Damn straight," Al said from where he was lounging on a big pile of pillows. "And one day, Jamie will do us all proud and do the same."

Harry gave Al a sour look but Cam just laughed. Halley huffed.

"I wouldn't do that," Harry told Cam with a sniff.

"You'd learn to do it quick. When we really start dueling, you'd better believe if you don't get to it first, I will."

Halley clucked her tongue in disapproval.

"Oh, admit it, Hal. You don't mind coming in for this stuff. This baby stuff means that one day you might not be trying to heal something much more serious."

"I think the world should just play chess or something to sort out its differences."

"Funny you should mention that," Al said, a grin in his voice. "When I-"

"We don't want your story of domestic strife, Al," Cam interrupted wearily. "You worked for local law enforcement for three years, yes, we know."

"I never thought you could get one of those pieces-"

"Al."

"Right. Just saying. Lighten up the atmosphere sort of thing."

"Drink this." Halley held out a vial.

Cam made a face. "Yuck."

"That's what happens when you break bones."

Cam downed the potion with a grunt and Harry was quick to summon a juice from the cooler at the other end of the room. Halley opened her mouth, but noticed Harry checking the label before he handed it to Cam. Cam didn't seem to notice at all, she just took a big drink of it with a pleased sigh.

Halley eyed Harry curiously. "White grape juice," she remarked.

"Yes, Ma'am. Would you like something? We have white grape, white grape cherry, apple and orange."

"No, thank you. I'm just curious why you chose white grape juice."

Harry gave her a vaguely puzzled look. "It's the only one that won't slow down the activation time of the bone mending potion."

"And why is that?"

"Because it doesn't have…" Harry frowned with great concentration, speaking the next word with slow care, "anthocyanin in it. Did I get that right?" he asked a little anxiously.

Halley nodded with a small smile.

"So it doesn't have that in it! Well, I don't think the oranges do either, but the orange juice would just enhance the flavor and it'd be super incredibly disgusting instead of covering up the taste."

"We do more than just beat up on each other," Al called over with amusement. "We occasionally teach him stuff, too."

"I see this. Very impressive, Jamie. And good job on the word. Well, let me put a temporary cast on your foot," Halley said, turning back to Cam. "You'll have to come in tomorrow to get it removed."

Cam made a face. Halley ignored it.

"And let's try not to call me in again before the end of October," Halley said once she'd magicked the cast into place. "And stay off that foot for the rest of the day."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Honestly. Aurors." She gathered up her stuff.

"Thank you for coming, Halley," Harry told her politely.

She gave Harry a small smile. "You're welcome." She grinned a little, winking at him. "And you're doing quite well."

Harry beamed at her.

* * *

"So what'd you think of _All Dogs Go to Heaven_?" Laney asked as they headed back to the car.

Suntree accepted the half eaten bag of popcorn from Harry with a vaguely amused look as Harry gave that deep consideration. "Well, it was kind of dark," he said at last. "But I guess that's okay; most kids won't get it. They'll just think it's a great movie about a silly dog."

Laney gave the top of Harry's head a startled look and then looked over at Suntree. Suntree raised a brow slightly and lifted a shoulder.

"What do you mean by that, sweetie?" Laney asked. "It _was_ a great movie about a silly dog."

"Well, on the surface, yeah. But I was actually paying attention to the movie, Mom. Thinking about it and stuff. Using my head for more than head butting people and keeping my brains in."

Suntree snorted.

"And?" Laney asked. "It was a good movie."

"Charlie was a bad dog, Mom. He got into heaven on a technicality, after being run down by a car! That another dog was driving, so that's murder right there. After being put into the pound by that same dog. But he broke out with the help of that silly friend of his, and breaking out of prison is definitely a crime. But yeah, he goes to Heaven, and then the idiot leaves Heaven, and for the rest of the movie you know that if Charlie dies, he's going to Hell. What sort of thing is that to have hanging over a movie, huh?"

"I see…"

"And then that girl, he kept tricking her and he was still doing bad things, though I guess at that point that didn't matter. He was already going to Hell; no point in doing good things. But that girl, she was kind of annoying."

Laney snorted a little.

"Well, she was, Mom. I mean, at least she had more backbone than Buttercup. But then she got sick, and I swear you thought she was going to die for a while, and that's just so messed up. And that Carface dog gets eaten in the end by that crazy singing gator. And is it just me, or was there something really weird about that gator?"

Somewhere behind them Cam stifled a cough.

"The gator was very… enthusiastic about singing," Laney said. "Very enthusiastic and very happy about it."

"I'd sure say. But his song was pretty awesome. All the songs were pretty awesome. I liked the songs."

"But the movie was a bit dark?"

"Oh come on, Mom. If it had been real actors instead of cartoon dogs and stuff, you'd have never let me see that. Dogs were getting killed off all over the place and that sacrificing to the gator thing and all the drinking and doing other illegal stuff…"

"Quite so," Laney murmured.

"But it wasn't bad." He grinned up at Laney. "I liked _The Little Mermaid_ better, though."

Laney snorted and smiled fondly. But when Harry went back to skipping ahead of them, Laney sent Suntree a vaguely worried look.

"He's growing up," Suntree murmured. "And he's quite sharp. It'd be hard to keep him from thinking for himself. You wouldn't really want to."

* * *

"Halley!"

Halley gave Harry a bright smile and a one-armed hug. She was holding a dish up above her head with the other. "Happy Thanksgiving, Jame."

"I didn't expect to see you here."

"I thought it might be nice to drop in when you aren't in need of patching up." She winked as she headed towards the back door. "Though more and more lately, it's Cam that I'm coming here to patch."

Harry grinned. "I'm getting better. And now that I know some real shield spells I've actually got half a chance."

"More than half, I'd say. What are you doing outside by yourself on Thanksgiving?"

"I was waiting for Terry. He said he might be a bit late, and its just Kathy here right now, and Mom and Kathy are just talking about boring stuff."

"Girl stuff, huh?"

"Nah. That's not bad. They're talking about recipes and stuff. And they said no cooking with magic today. They're going to do it the old fashioned way. Boooring." Harry skipped ahead to open the door for her.

"Coming in out of the- Halley!" Kathy got up with a grin to give the other woman a hug. "Thought you had a big family gathering and wouldn't stop by?"

"Big family, had to escape, decided to bring some cake by and chat with everyone. I can only stay around an hour, though. Any longer and I'll be missed."

"Pull up a chair, Hal," Laney invited. "Good to see you and know someone's not bleeding, broken, or otherwise damaged."

"Good to be here and not lugging my fix-it bag with me." She put the dish on the counter and went to strip off her winter coat and hang it in the entry. Harry trailed after her with a grin.

"What's up with you?" Halley asked, pulling off her scarf. She looked a little flushed from the cold but Harry couldn't be sure with her dark skin.

"Dunno. Just happy. It's Thanksgiving!"

She laughed and ruffled his hair as she headed back to the kitchen. Harry joined her at the kitchen table just as the back door opened and Terry came in, shedding clumps of snow as he did.

"Aw hell." He quickly looked up and held up a hand to ward off the spoon pointed at him, held by a narrow-eyed Laney. "Aw hill?"

Her eyes narrowed more.

"Um… I'm sorry and you're wonderful and please don't beat me with your spoon as I've just come from Canada and I've had a very long day and you know I ordinarily don't cuss?"

"Hm." She gave a warning jab in his direction, then set the spoon back on the counter and then went back to reading the instructions off the back of a box.

Terry let out a quiet, relieved breath, then aimed a dark look at Kathy. She continued to snigger into a cup of cocoa.

"You will get this water up from the floor right now," Laney said sternly as more snow melted onto the floor and Terry tried to ease his way to the entrance hall.

"I've got it," Harry piped up eagerly, getting up on his knees and pointing at the floor. "Dry now!" He pointed at Terry. "Dry now!" Terry's hair stuck up oddly, like he'd toweled it dry and didn't bother to comb it. Harry bit back a giggle. "Straighten up!" The hair settled down again.

Terry blinked at him, still stopped in mid-motion. "I feel like I'm eight again and my mom just came after me with her wand in one hand and comb in the other…"

Harry giggled and then adopted a stern expression. "Now go hang up your coat properly, young man." After several seconds his expression cracked into more giggles.

Terry shook his head and headed into the entrance hall. Halley snorted and ruffled Harry's hair.

"What is it with the hair," Harry complained, trying to smooth it down.

Halley grinned. "It's already messy, get over it." She laughed. "You sure told Terry."

"I sure did." He eyed Halley. "It's weird seeing you not in scrubs."

"Got to be off duty on occasion, you know."

"Oh drat, I've just added too much flour." Laney scowled at her mixing bowl.

"Not to worry," Halley said, getting up and coming over. "Let's see what you've got here. You've likely got enough of the right ingredients to just make a slightly larger serving."

"Or you might be able to make something else out of it altogether," Kathy said, getting up as well.

Harry listened to them toss back several different recipe ideas before rolling his eyes. "I'm going somewhere more exciting."

"Have fun."

Harry rolled his eyes again and skipped out of the kitchen, snagging Terry's hand on the way and pulling him along on his escape. "They're talking baking stuff. Boring. Let's go watch some holiday cartoons. Charlie Brown keeps playing."

"Who could turn down Charlie Brown?" Terry said with amusement, following Harry upstairs to the entertainment room.

"Exactly. It's Charlie Brown."

* * *

"What's all this?" Harry dropped his backpack by the couch and came around to study the newspapers literally covering every inch of the coffee table. Some of them had moving pictures and some were just regular non-magical newspapers. About half of them were papers in languages he'd never even seen before. And the low fire burning in the fireplace reflected off of several papers that looked very similar to each other, making the ink almost glow in interesting ways that made it easier to see.

"These are papers covering the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall," John explained, absently rubbing his leg. "I'm sure you'll recall we've talked about it quite often this year, especially at the beginning of November."

"When the wall actually fell, yeah." Harry picked up one of the magical papers in a strange language. "You read all these languages?"

"A few of them, but on most of them I use translation charms."

Harry perked up. "Really? There's charms that'll let you read other languages?"

"Certainly. And charms to help you understand other languages. Though they have flaws, of course. They'll help you get by well enough, but if you really want to understand and have a clear picture of- well, have a seat and I'll try and explain this."

Harry sat down on the couch, taking several papers with him to study with interest.

"Why doesn't the ink come off on my hands?" he asked curiously as he rubbed his fingers along the print.

"A lot of magical papers are treated with charms to protect them from smudging and running when wet. Some are protected from fading, though not as many. In a lot of places the ink used for magical papers isn't the same as non-magical papers, especially for the images. That makes a difference."

Harry nodded, spreading the papers out on the cushions to study the pictures. Even a lot of the magical papers had gone with nonmoving images of the wall and the people around them, and it somehow seemed more powerful and stark that way.

John pushed himself up off the loveseat with a little groan and came over to the couch, leaning heavily on his cane. Harry hastily made space for him to sit, shoving the papers off to the side.

"You okay?" Harry asked quietly.

"Just my damn leg." He stretched it out with a heavy sigh, rubbing the knee. "Cold weather makes it worse. Some of it's physical damage that can't be healed. Still got some magic of the curse lingering in there and the curses have gotten pretty tied up with my body, so they can't be removed." He gave Harry a weak grin. "But hey, I'm just glad I still got it."

Harry reached out to rub his knee and then shifted to give John a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry."

"Nothing for you to be sorry about, Jame." John ruffled his hair. "Come on, let's look at these papers. It'll take my mind off the leg."

Harry nodded and gathered up the papers again.

"Remember what I told you about the magical state of Germany?"

Harry nodded again. "But what about the translation charms? You said they had flaws that you'd try to explain."

John nodded. "That I did. Basically the charm is limited in how much it can translate. It'll give you the words, but a lot of understanding a language really comes down to understanding the phrases used and the culture behind a language. But written translations are easier than the translation charms for spoken language. Can you come up with why?"

Harry considered that closely. "I'm not sure."

"Think about the phrases and the culture. And think about your time with the Magurists and the things you've had to learn about the magical community that didn't come to you naturally from your background in the non-magical world."

"Um…" Harry idly reached out to rub John's knee as John's leg gave a little twitch. "Oh, well, maybe… I know inflection is important on some spells, and I guess some languages would use different inflection on words, wouldn't they? And it's not something that seems like it'd translate."

"Very good. That's one thing."

"And, oh, I know there're a lot of words that just don't translate. I remember you telling me that once when we were talking about something. That some languages have a word or phrase that doesn't mean anything in another language. You just have to use several descriptions to try and get something like the point."

"Very good."

"And I guess, um, slang probably wouldn't translate very well. And… I guess there's a lot of phrases and stuff that people use that comes from the culture, and it makes more sense if you know the story behind a phrase. Oh! Like when Cam was telling me about that couple she had to track down before Thanksgiving. She said they'd gone all Bonnie and Clyde and that might not make sense to someone somewhere else."

"Very, very good."

Harry beamed.

"So you understand now?"

"Yeah."

"Ready to move on?"

Harry nodded.

"So what did I tell you about the stuff going on right now in magical Germany?"

Harry grinned. "You said it's an amazing time to be alive and that it's about darn time for that wall to come down."

John coughed. "Yes, I did say that. I more meant, though, what we've actually talked about. Not my own opinion. So give me a rundown of what you remember me telling you about the magical state of Germany."

"The long standing European policy of isolation from the non-magical community, as well as the magical means of communication and transportation that can't be regulated by non-magical policy, has created a different type of divide in the magical community."

John snorted a little. "Sounds like you're quoting something I said back at me."

Harry grinned.

"And that divide is?"

"Between magical people that have to interact a lot with the non-magical world for whatever reason and magical people that can remain more isolated," Harry answered promptly. "So you have one group that has had to identify more with the non-magical side of this conflict, and so they feel negatively about the rest of the magical community that just, well, doesn't really care and doesn't think all that stuff going on has anything to do with the magical world and so there's no point in dragging it into the magical world."

"Mmhm. And that means?"

"Well, like, a lot of the non-magical people are happy about the wall coming down. Not all, but a lot of them. But on the magical side of it, they're not too happy because they, well, they're being kind of dumb. I mean, some of them are happy and a lot of them just don't care, but there's a lot more magical people who are unhappy than there are non-magical people."

"And why is that?" John asked curiously.

"Because they know they're dumb."

John laughed. "Do go on."

"Well, they know they could have dug into the magical community a bit deeper and had the same freedom the rest of the magical community did. You know, Flooing wherever they want and sending letters and going wherever and things. But they didn't because they were dumb and refused to dig deeper into the magical community."

"And?"

Harry shrugged. "So they were even more restricted than the non-magical people were on that side of the wall. And now here we are with the wall down and the magical people can't really feel pleased about the wall being gone because the rest of the German magical community is all, 'um, yeah, that wall wasn't really there for the rest of us, you know.' And so there it stands."

"More or less, yes," John said with a chuckle. "More complicated in a lot of ways, but you have the essence of it. So let's look at some of these papers. We'll see if you can pick up the charm. It's difficult, but I think you'll get it with some practice."

Harry nodded eagerly and dove into learning and reading with all of his attention. After he had mastered one of the easier translation spells, he eagerly set into looking through the newly translated papers, only occasionally needing to ask a question. Because of that, it took him a little while to realize that John had drifted to sleep at some point.

Harry studied John with concern. His bad leg, resting on a pillow on the coffee table, continued to twitch every so often, even in sleep. He looked tired, but more than tired. He looked… sort of like Terry had looked the day he'd come by because he'd promised, even though he'd been up for twenty-seven hours straight.

Harry had sent him straight upstairs to take a nap. He briefly debated doing the same to John, but he figured that even if the leg would let John get up the stairs, John would probably brush off the idea of a nap once he was awake.

With care he snuggled into John's side and quietly continued to study the newspapers, rubbing the knee whenever the leg started twitching. It seemed to help when John did it and it seemed to be helping now, so he kept it up, wishing there was something else he could do to help.

After a little while Laney came into the room to check on them and smiled softly. She ruffled Harry's hair gently and shook out quilt to rest over them, tucking it in a little before heading into the kitchen to quietly start dinner. Suntree and Kathy both checked on them at one point and left them as they were, Suntree with a bit of a sympathetic expression as he studied John.

When not even the strong smell of dinner woke John, Harry gave in to the inevitable and nudged his side gently. "Mr. John?" He nudged again when John didn't stir. "Mr. John?"

"Honey, just come in for dinner," Laney said quietly from the end of the couch. "If he doesn't wake up when you get up then we'll just let him sleep. He seems to need it."

Harry nodded and with great care shifted away from John until he could slide off the couch and stand. He tucked the blanket in as best he could and levitated another log onto the fire to keep it burning steadily. John stirred once, but Harry tucked a pillow against his side and he settled again.

Suntree and Kathy were already settled at the table when Harry followed Laney into the kitchen. Harry settled in his usual seat. The seat across from him was empty, but there was a plate of chicken, potatoes and vegetables under a glass cover on the counter.

"Cold weather is always bad for an old injury, magical or not," Suntree said quietly as he cast a sound muffling charm on the entrance to the living room. "With an injury that still has a lot of damage that can't be undone, and then having remnants of the curse still on the leg, John feels it twice as much."

Kathy nodded as she squeezed some lemon into her water. "There's a theory that magic reacts to the cold and to heat in different ways when it's just free floating in the atmosphere. The idea is that you're not just feeling the cold temperature, but you're feeling something kind of like cold magic if you happen to be sensitive to magic and have aching bones or something like that. No idea if that's true or not, but I do know cold weather seems to affect even purely magical injuries in some way."

"Just because it's a magical injury doesn't mean it doesn't cause the body to feel it as anything but an injury." Harry took a sip of his milk and wordlessly pressed a cooling charm on the glass as he set it back down. "I mean, you still feel it and it still hurts normally, so no reason why the body wouldn't react to temperature or pressure changes like it would with a non-magical type of injury."

"True enough."

"So," Suntree said after a silence filled with eating, "how are your studies with John going? I understand that you're covering current events right now. The Aurors are keeping a close eye on things."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, the Berlin wall stuff and magical Germany. But why are the Aurors keeping an eye on it? It's going on way over there, not here."

Suntree gave him a smile. "Because over there isn't that far away, really. For an Auror, it's a good idea to always be watchful of the world, near and far. Aurors accept a responsibility to watch when they're given the power of their position, in fact. And it's not just Aurors; the same is true for magical law enforcement and military of any kind."

Harry nodded slowly.

"No one lives in a vacuum. Do you know what that means?"

"Um. That you can't expect everything to go the way you think it will because there's a big world out there and there's lots of stuff going on in the world that will end up affecting you one day?"

"Very good. So the Aurors watch. It might not be our problem right now, it might never be our problem, it might not even really be a problem or become a problem, but an Auror always watches. The problems of someone else today might become your problem tomorrow, and it's very important to always remember that so you won't be taken by surprise. You should always keep in mind that the only difference between you and the people involved in something is the fact it's happening somewhere else. Too much history repeats because people forget that."

Harry nodded and lapsed into thought about that.

"Your non-magical classes get out in about a week, if I'm not mistaken." Suntree asked after a lingering silence. "Do you think you might cut back on your magical lessons during your winter break?"

"Maybe some. Mom and I are going to do a lot of fun stuff this break, aren't we?"

Laney smiled fondly. "Just shopping and visiting some places around here."

"Fun stuff."

"We'll cut back some in that case. I suspect you won't let us get away with stopping altogether."

Harry gave Suntree a look, then frowned a little. "I mean… unless you want to stop."

"Nah, we're having fun," Kathy reassured.

"Sure?"

"Absolutely."

Suntree nodded.

"Okay. Good."

"So, tell us what you're learning at school." Kathy grinned a little. "We hardly ever hear anything about it unless you need help with your homework."

Harry shrugged. "It's kind of boring, really." When they still looked expectant he shrugged again and launched into telling them whatever occurred to him.

Towards the end of dinner there was a heavy sigh from the next room and a half grunt, some rustling of papers, and a handful of moments later, John appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. He gave them a close once over and winced, coming into the room carefully to ease into the open seat.

"Didn't mean to drift off…" he said with a little cough as Laney got up to grab his plate.

"You obviously needed it," she told him in a no-nonsense tone as she set the plate down. "Now eat up. I'll get you a glass of milk. No arguing."

John chuckled a little and set into the plate hungrily. Harry studied him through his lashes as he sipped his milk. John looked much less tired, though Harry could still see some dark shadows under John's eyes. Not only did he look more rested, there was a hint of ease and relaxation to his expression that Harry hoped meant John wasn't in as much discomfort and pain as he had been earlier.

"Nap seems to have done you good," Laney remarked after a while.

"I feel much better now, yes. I don't sleep so well sometimes."

"I notice you didn't need your cane to walk in here," Suntree observed casually after a handful of moments.

John froze with a potato halfway to his mouth and he glanced to either side, as if looking for his cane. "Well, I… hadn't even noticed…"

"Leg feeling better?"

"Huh. Now that you mention it, yes." He set his fork down slowly. "Yes, it is. Better than its felt in weeks. Normally it's even stiffer after I fall asleep in a strange position like I did."

"I was rubbing your knee," Harry offered helpfully with a smile. "It seemed to help you sleep."

"Well…" John reached down to rub his knee. "Maybe that's what it needed, some rubbing while I was relaxed. I have to admit, I tend to be pretty tense most of my waking hours."

Suntree cast a considering look down the table to Harry. Harry didn't notice; he was watching John. Kathy did and gave him a curious look, but Suntree shook his head slightly.

"Though I didn't mean to fall asleep halfway through our lesson," John told Harry. "Sorry about that."

"Nah, that's okay. I'd already got that one translation charm, remember? It worked on some of the papers. I just spent some time reading. After dinner we can talk about it all. I didn't have many questions and I wrote them all down."

"How much regular homework do you have, Jamie?" Laney asked a little sternly.

"Not that much, Mom." He made a face. "Spelling. As if that's hard."

"Anything else?"

"Um. Some history stuff." Harry sighed and speared the last of his potatoes. "I'll do that before I sit with Mr. John."

"Good."

"No worries." John took a drink of milk and gave him a cheerful smile. "It'll give me time to get the papers better organized and soak up some more heat from the fireplace. It seems to have done me good."

Harry grinned. "Awesome."

Suntree continued to study Harry thoughtfully.

* * *

"Oh my God! Mom! Mooom! I did it!"

Laney cautiously came down the stairs. "Jame?"

"Mom! I did it! I did! I did it!" He dashed over to the stairs to give her an excited hug. "I did it!"

"And what exactly did you do?"

"I beat Cammy, Mom! I beat her! I beat her, like, really, really! She swears she didn't let me! She says I'm a natural at magical dueling, Mom! Isn't that so completely awesome?!"

"Completely awesome." Laney pushed Harry back gently to give him a close once over. He was rumpled and flushed, a cut on his cheek, a torn sleeve and a little bit bloody, but he didn't look that bad. Laney frowned. "Did you run across the back yard in the middle of December without a coat on, young man?"

"Oh, Mom." Harry gave her a put-upon look. "I cast a warming charm, Mom. See, my skin's not even cold."

She pressed a hand to his cheek and gave a nod. "Good. Is Cam all right?"

"Oh, yeah, Cam's fine. Sun's giving her some potions, but we don't even need Halley to come over. Isn't that awesome?"

"Completely."

"And Al kept mocking Cam and Cammy told him he's next to train with me and he got quiet." Harry giggled. "I'm getting better, Mom! I'm really getting better!"

"Good for you." She tugged at his torn sleeve and shook her head.

"Mooom, I really beat her! Are you paying attention?"

"Yes, Jamie. 'Mooom, really beat her, so awesome'. I'm paying attention."

"Guess what! Guess! Go on!"

"What?"

"Sunny said I could do it again! He said I got angry, but I got cold angry. That's what he called it. Cold angry. Instead of hot angry, which makes you do stupid things. Cold angry helps you think. That's what he said. And after I beat Cam, he said, he said, no more going soft on me. He said I'd been holding back. That's what he said. And that it's about D-A-M-N time I stopped it. Except, Mom, except, don't hit him with a spoon, okay? For the 'D' word. No spoon hitting, okay? Because I beat Cam!"

Laney laughed. "All right, just this once."

"And Mom! Suntree said he'd start practicing dueling with me! Isn't that awesome, Mom?! He says I'm getting really amazing awesome good! Though not in those words exactly. But that's what he meant!"

"I'm sure it was."

"He said my physical fighting is getting loads better, too, though nothing like my magical fighting. He says in no time at all I'll be _unbeatable_! Isn't that awesome, Mom? Of course, that's classical dueling rules. He says one day he'll teach me dirty fighting, and don't get mad, Mom, because he says the bad guys don't fight by classical rules, and so I've got to learn how not to."

Laney snorted. "I'm sure that day will be far in the future."

"Never know, Mom. Never know. But I've got to get back out there! Suntree said he wants to see me duel magically with Al! That will be so awesome! I feel like Westley, but even more way awesome!"

Laney laughed again. "Get back out there, Dread Pirate."

Harry laughed with joy as he dashed back through the house. The laundry room door banged closed behind him.

* * *

"How's your leg doing?" Suntree asked casually.

"Surprisingly good, given the weather," John told him cheerfully. "Though it's kind of weird…"

"What is?"

"Well, I visit the healers fairly often to make sure I don't strain it. Last thing I want is to lose the leg after all that work. If I lose it, I'm probably not going to be able to replace it easily. Nasty lingering curse. So I go in regularly. But when I went in about two weeks ago, they said the curse looked a little different. Not any less there, but almost made tamer…"

"Huh."

"Yeah. They couldn't figure it out. But they said whatever I'd been doing to treat my leg, keep doing it. Problem is, I haven't been doing anything for my leg. Damn wish I could claim I had been, though. It'd be nice to actually be able to do more than just take pain potions…"

Suntree nodded.

"But the thing is, I went back just a couple days ago and they said it's not as tame as it had been. Whatever that tameness was, it's wearing off; it's just returning to its usual viciousness slowly. So I guess I've got the usual problems to look forward to soon, but I'll enjoy the respite while I have it."

"Hm. Try to spend more time around Jamie when it's really bothering you."

"Huh?"

"Just a thought I've had. A bit of a pattern I've noticed. Just try and do that and I'll talk to you about it later."

"You think the kid has something to do with my leg feeling better?"

"I think there's nothing I'd put past Jamie some days, and some days are slowly becoming most days."

"Huh." John tapped his cane idly and gave a shrug. "Well, certainly won't be a hardship to spend more time with him."

* * *

"Hey, Laney?"

"Hm?"

"Jamie's going to need to miss school tomorrow-"

"That'll go over well," Laney muttered. "Back in school a week and he's already missing days."

Terry shrugged. "He tumbled wrong and broke his wrist. Halley's fixing it up right now, but it won't be completely healed until tomorrow afternoon."

Laney let out a slow breath, looking around to Terry.

"We were done training today," Terry said quickly. "He did this entirely on his own, fooling around on the mats."

Laney sighed. "Of all the injuries…"

"Yeah, I know. It's kind of ironic that as hard as we've been training him, he managed to break his wrist all on his own without our help."

She snorted. "How is he?"

"Weeell…"

"What's that mean?"

"Al teased him about breaking his wrist like that, and I'd have to say that Jamie is very good at channeling pain into anger if his knocking Al out cold with wandless magic is any indication. So I'd say he's doing okay. He was crying earlier, but he stayed calm."

"Do I- should I go see him? Can I? Do you think he'd…?"

"He's not so grown up yet that he doesn't want his Mom, Lane. That's why I came in."

Laney let out a breath and tossed her book on the table to set out briskly for the training 'shed' in the backyard.

"Oh, hey, Lane. Al's still out, just so you know. So don't be alarmed. We thought it'd be best. Er. Involuntary nap. So he doesn't irritate Jamie further."

Laney snorted with amusement.


	19. Chapter 19

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: I own three rubber duckies. Yay. None of them are named Harry Potter.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Research papers are the suck. My muse is sad at me. Reviews make muses full of happy. Happy muses stop stalling my story. Yay.

Review Responses: None. As I've said: research papers are the suck. Hopefully things will get back on track later this week.

AN: BRITPICKER…

BETAS: Jynx67, Andrea, Megan. And a warm hello to Silveredred and Madam Whitbrook. Hugs all around. And cookies. And carrots (Jamie insists).

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 19

* * *

"Hey, kid, turn off MacGyver." Terry came fully into the television room and plopped down on the couch next to him as Harry turned the television off. "Some of us want to talk to you."

"Um, okay. We gonna stay in here?"

"Yeah. The others will be up in a minute."

Several more people came up from downstairs, though when Harry saw John, he jumped off the couch with a frown. "We could have gone downstairs."

"I'm all right, kid." John paused at the top of the stairs to lean heavily on his cane. "Just a couple of weeks until February, and from there, spring is just around the corner. The warmer months are always better."

Harry hurried over to help him over to the couch and then sat down beside him, summoning over an ottoman that John gratefully propped his left leg up on. John put a friendly arm around Harry's shoulders.

"Thanks, kid."

"Of course."

Suntree and Kathy shifted a little farther down the sectional couch and Terry summoned the chair from the other side of the room. He was directing it to settle in front of the television, standing to make his way over, when Laney came into the room and dropped down into it.

"Thanks, Terry."

"Right. Because I was summoning that for you. Definitely."

"Because you're a thoughtful man."

"Exactly that."

Harry snickered and looked around. "Cam and Al not here?"

"Not today."

"We have two things we'd like to talk to you about," Kathy said after Laney gave her a nod. "First thing, if you don't mind, sometime a little later this year, before summer probably, we'd like to bring in a couple of new teachers to work with you. At least one, definitely. This will sort of tie into the other thing we'll talk about. But I take it you have no objection to another Auror, maybe two, coming in?"

Harry shook his head. "Sounds fun. What would I be learning?"

"Right now it's more general, but the person I have in mind also has some additional skills that I think you might benefit from. He's going to start showing you some more dirty fighting stuff, too, and that's also tied into the other thing we need to talk about."

"Sounds fine to me," Harry said with a shrug. "What's this other thing you keep mentioning?"

"The other thing is you," Suntree answered. "Specifically, that magical children are required at least two years of proper magical instruction before a child can enter a purely magical school.

"Now, I'm a certified teacher," John told him. "So that would count as proper schooling, so you don't need to worry about not being able to go to a magical school."

"We just thought you might like to try to attend some of the magical classes offered before going to a magical institution. To socialize with other magical children on a more usual basis and get used to being closer to the magical culture that you'll find when you go off to school." Kathy gave him a smile. "And to get an idea of how real magical classes might be taught and what you'll be expected to already know."

"Oh." Harry considered that. "Uh… Aren't I a little ahead of most kids my age?"

"Honestly, yeah, you really are. We think we have a way to take that into account, though. Right now, we'd just like to know if you'd like to attend those classes."

"I think it'd be awesome. I just don't want to be sort of too smart and have people not like me and stuff."

"Completely understandable." John gave his shoulder a little squeeze. "And I think we've got a way to get around that, like I said. We're going to put you in with the second to last study year of the expanded four-year course study, not the first study year. They're doing more advanced stuff. It's quite possible, of course, that it'll still bore you, and if that happens we'll just have to adjust. But we don't want you to miss out on the social aspect of it if you want to go."

"I'd like to go. I really would."

"And that leads us to Harry Potter."

Harry gave Suntree a startled look. "Um, what?"

"Basically, sweetie, by the time you go to a real magical institution, you really ought to go under your real name," Laney told him, getting up to sit on his other side. Harry turned towards her a little, leaning back against John's side. "So you ought to attend magical classes now under your real name. Or at least your real last name."

"Oh." He glanced around the room. "Um. I sort of get it. But why?"

"If I could protect you for the rest of your life, baby, I would. Believe me. But I can't. One day, someone would recognize you. There's no way to stop people from figuring it out eventually, especially if you go off to a magical school, and I know that's something you're looking forward to."

"The thought is," Kathy added, "that if you decide to show yourself first, you'll be able to decide just how much public exposure you want. You'll control what people know about you at the beginning. Do you see?"

Harry nodded slowly.

"So we want to talk to you a little bit more in depth about Harry Potter. You know the basic facts, but we want to give you more details." Laney gave him a little smile. "The things we know about, at least, so no one has a chance to surprise you with something later."

Harry gave another slow nod.

"Not right now, though." Laney leaned in to give him a kiss on the forehead. "In a few days. We've kept you away from books about yourself as best we could, but now we'd like you to take a little while to read some of them to get an idea of what people know about you and how people feel about you."

"Okay…"

"And when we talk about that stuff later, we'll also want to talk about what being a celebrity entails," Terry said a little more seriously than was usual for him. "You're very well known in England and Europe, and only slightly less well known in other English speaking countries. You're known to some degree or another all over the world. At some point, you'll have to deal with things like fan mail and hate mail, publicity from newspapers and magical television, the public's expectations of you and other things like that."

"Fan mail?" Harry asked a little wide-eyed. "Me?"

Kathy laughed. "Remember when you wanted to send a letter to David Bowie and tell him you thought he was amazing and fabulous in Labyrinth?"

Harry blushed a little.

"Forget David Bowie," Laney said with a grin. "How about MacGyver? If I'd let you, you would have sent me him a letter every week and-"

"Okay, I got it," Harry interrupted, blushing hotly. "I got it."

"People feel that way about you."

"Nuh uh. No way."

"Yeah. In fact, you would've already have gotten fan mail," Terry told him, "but we've put wards up that basically make you invisible to magical means of communication. Not even birds can find you and neither can tracking or location spells."

"But we'll need to adjust that one day so you can at least get mail from friends. Right now we have everything sent to us and then we pass it on to you." Suntree shrugged. "And there's no harm in fan mail, really. An important thing to remember about fans is that one day in the future they might present an unexpected area of support when you need help."

Harry nodded. "I'm going to need some time to think about all this."

"Of course." John gave him a friendly nudge and Harry tapped John's knee gently in retaliation, then just let his hand rest there. "That's why we're bringing it up well before you need to be concerned about any of it."

"And there's something else, sweetie," Laney said softly.

Harry gave her an almost apprehensive look. "Something else?"

"Yes. Your parents were very well off, baby, and they had a lot going on. Things like several properties and some business ventures and investments and the like. When I took over your guardianship, I fought to take control of that as well, and I somehow managed to get it. I expect it's because I had the weight of… my married name behind me, and its heavy magical background."

Harry gave her a concerned, puzzled look.

"Yeah…" Laney ruffled his hair. "You knew I was married to a wizard before, and that he died in the war. But he was kind of well known. Not a pureblood, but powerful and with a lot of good connections. It gave me just enough leverage in the magical world to get most of what I wanted. But I'd rather not talk about that…"

Harry nodded, and after a moment he shifted away from John to give her a hug, then settled against her, wriggling around to see the rest of the room from her arms.

"Basically," she said into his hair, "I've been handling a lot of business type stuff for you. And while I don't expect you to care about it for a while, when you're a little older, you should start to take a bit more interest. Not right now. I just mention it because your books might mention something about it, and I want you to know beforehand."

He gave a slow nod.

"Is this too much for you?" Kathy asked, studying him closely. "There's a little more to say, but we can stop so you can think about what you've heard so far."

"Um. Go ahead."

"Well, we've discussed this with Laney already," Suntree told him. Laney nodded against his hair. "But with you becoming more of a public figure, there's more concern for your safety for various reasons. All of us, we care for you greatly and obviously want you to be safe. And the USAS is interested in your safety as well. I know I've been spoken to, and I believe Terry has." Suntree glanced at Terry, who nodded. "Our supervisors are passing on the word that we should consider giving you more training to prepare you."

"More training? Aren't I doing an awful lot as it is? I don't think I'd have time for more training and still have fun doing other stuff…" Harry trailed off worriedly.

"Absolutely not," Laney told him, answering his unspoken worry. "You absolutely do not have to do any of this. You getting to have fun is a lot more important than adding any other sort of defense or protection training. I do want you to continue to work with everyone, like you have been. It's good for you. A certain amount of ability to defend yourself and be aware is important. But you don't have to do anything extra if you don't want to."

Harry nodded slowly.

"Though I wouldn't worry," Terry said with some amusement. "We're not talking about devoting a lot more time to what you're doing; we're thinking of having you do harder stuff. You like the challenge of harder stuff: harder physical training, harder magic, more intense theory."

"Oh, yeah, _that_ sounds fun." Harry nodded eagerly. "I like that stuff. I just don't want to be doing it _all the time_."

"Wouldn't dream of it, kid." Terry laughed. "You'd probably kick our butts if we tried to do that."

"Yup, sure would," Harry said with a grin. "I'd teach you all a lesson about messing with my Lego and Princess Bride time."

Terry sniggered.

"But that's pretty much what we wanted to talk to you about," Suntree said with mild amusement of his own. "And we'll give you some time to think about it. All right?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"Just let us know when you're ready to discuss it again."

"Okay."

* * *

"So." Harry plopped down at the table. Suntree glanced up from his sandwich as Harry eyed him. "Isn't it, like, three in the afternoon?"

"Yes."

"So that's, like, three hours after lunch and three hours before dinner. What are you doing eating a sandwich?"

Suntree gave him an amused look and put his sandwich down. "I was hungry."

"But a sandwich isn't really a snack. And look, you've even got pickles and potato salad. That's an entire meal. Now you won't be hungry for dinner. You've ruined your appetite."

"Sorry, Mom," Suntree said mildly. "Would you like half my sandwich?"

Harry eyed the sandwich. "What is it?"

"Roast beef and turkey, mayo, honey mustard, muenster cheese."

"I find that acceptable," Harry said with a little sniff before his mock-serious expression dissolved into a grin.

"I bet you do." Suntree summoned a plate from the cabinet and sliced the sandwich in half with a delicate twist of magic. He pushed the plate over, half the sandwich and the pickles on it.

"This is more snack-like," Harry said with a nod of approval as he picked up the sandwich. "Thish ish goo'."

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

Harry swallowed and gave Suntree a 'hmph' look before getting up to get a glass of juice.

"So, did you come into the kitchen just to scold me about my meal sized snack, or do you have some other reason to be here?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"All right."

"And I don't want you to, like, decide everyone has to be here for this. You can answer this."

"I think you, like, need to stop picking up Cam's bad speech habits."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"Lovely."

"Hmph."

"You were saying?"

"So. Right. This Voldey guy is supposed to be dead, right?"

"Voldemort," Suntree corrected.

"Voldey guy, Voldemort, moldy shorts," Harry stopped to consider that one. "I like moldy shorts. Has a nice ring to it. Voldey guy… no, Voldeymort has moldy shorts." He grinned. "Moldy shorts has-"

"Yes, very clever," Suntree interrupted dryly. "And yes. Voldemort is supposed to be dead. But I've heard some rumors that not everyone is entirely certain of that."

Harry shrugged. "Right, well, he's not over there right now. So, whatever. So, I get the English thing and me being famous and them being interested in me. And I get why other places would be interested in me."

"Yes?"

"But why is the _American government_ interested in me? I mean, yeah, there're people out there who think I'm the best thing ever, and people out there who hate me passionately, but, you know, that's just people. Why would a _government_ be interested in me?"

Suntree sighed and put down his half of the sandwich. "Maybe-"

"No. I want you to answer it."

Suntree eyed him closely. "Very well. Can we finish eating first?"

Harry gave him a look. "In the hopes that someone else can wander in during, I bet." He snorted. "People don't think I notice, but I do. You almost always have someone else around when you're explaining something and you pause a lot to let them add things. And I figured it out. You're more likely to just tell me stuff without trying to make it sound nicer. And that's exactly what I want right now. The real reason."

"Very well. I shall speak with you plainly. But I would like to finish my not-meal first."

Harry eyed him a little before nodding. "I guess so."

"How gracious of you."

"You bet."

"You've gotten more mouthy since meeting Al."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I've also gotten older. And Cam's pretty mouthy, too."

Suntree smiled a little and returned to his sandwich. Harry ate his own and watched Suntree closely. Kathy meandered in halfway through, but Suntree didn't try to waylay her, and once they finished he suggested they move to the living room.

"I assume," Suntree said as they settled on the couch there, "that you're more asking why the USAS wants you to get more challenging training."

Harry nodded.

"Several reasons. Believe it or not, one of them is simply for your well being. They can be concerned with you as a person, you know."

Harry snorted. "If it looks good for them, sure."

"My, you're cynical."

Harry shrugged. "I know there's got to be more to it, okay? Because they're putting an awful lot of time and resources into all this, and as nice as the entire government might be, there's got to be more."

Suntree inclined his head. "It'll also look good for the American government and the USAS if they appear concerned about you," he admitted. "You see, the mess in Europe with Voldemort wasn't completely restricted to that area. Just as you'll find in non-magical history, you have sympathetic groups that form in other places. You've learned about War World II and the Nazis, right?"

"Duh."

Suntree gave him a mild look.

Harry shifted a little. "Yes, I've learned about them. What about it?"

"The USA had a Nazi party here-"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. It's just one of those things that happen. And now we have Neo-Nazis, which… well, no need for a history lesson. But it's something that springs up and it requires monitoring by both the magical and non-magical governments. Its amazing how easily some of these hate groups can be in both worlds at the same time. But the point is that sympathetic groups are formed outside of the area of the main conflict."

Harry nodded.

"The same is true in this case. Voldemort had supporters over here; even if they never did anything major. Some caused problems, some probably even traveled over to England to join up with him, and some just quietly simmered in the background. But Voldemort's fall didn't topple the cause, so these groups are definitely still out there. And on top of that, America has long been a place for refugees to flee to, and mixed in with some people legitimately trying to escape the war period and the postwar period over there, you have those that supported Voldemort's cause. So that's two groups who, for one reason or another, would be more than happy to target you. And their ill will for you would have only grown over the years, now that anger, resentment and hatred have had years to grow."

"Okay, I can see that."

"And it would look exceptionally bad for the magical government and for the USAS if something happened to you. Sad but true. We give you defense lessons, put up good wards, and do other things for you and it goes a long way to ensuring that Magical America maintains a good image."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Right. Still sounds like there's more to this, though."

"Are you fishing, or do you really think there is?"

Harry rubbed his fingers over an odd stain on the couch. "I think there is."

"There is. The American government, and by extension the USAS, does have something of a selfish reason for giving you the tools and knowledge to protect yourself. Our government has some doubt that Voldemort is really gone, and we know from experience that when something doesn't seem to be really gone, it usually comes back and causes a lot of problems later. The American government knows that if he does come back, you're going to be his main target; and you're going to be the one that England turns to, the one they'll expect to stop him."

"But I'm just me," Harry protested.

"You happen to be Harry Potter, as well."

Harry huffed. "Stupid people."

"It's just a 'what if' at this point, of course."

"Still, stupid people."

"Quite so." Suntree sighed a little. "So you see, the American government knows if he does rise again, the people will turn to you. If the people turn to you, you'd better be able to do something. If not defeat him, then at least effectively lead a group against him. If you fail and Voldemort does manage to take over things there, the American government knows that at some point they're going to have to get involved. As will other magical governments. The sad thing is that it would probably take years before other governments get involved, when they reach the point where they just can't remain diplomatic at all, or when Voldemort tries to take over other areas of the magical world."

Harry scowled. "That's awful. He's a mass murdering jerk-head!"

"That he is. The non-magical world is slow to respond to those sorts of things, though, unless there's a lot to be gained from interfering. Just look at any example throughout history. And the magical world typically takes even longer.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So, what, the American government wants me trained up enough to be able to defeat him, so they don't have to get involved?"

"Basically."

"That's so total suckage."

Suntree smiled a little. "Very total suckage, I agree."

"I'm almost afraid to ask… Is there anything else?"

"Well. There's also being able to say that we're the ones that trained you, if you do defeat him, if the 'what if' becomes a reality. It'll make us look good. It's also been mentioned more than once that if you ever decide to become an Auror, you'd likely become an American Auror. So in a way, they're also equipping a possible future resource."

Harry made a face. "That is so lame."

"Way totally lame," Suntree concurred. "But hey, I can't blame them on that last one. If I saw someone I knew could be the best possible Auror ever in the entire zonkin' universe, I'd sure as hell make sure I got a hold of him first."

Harry rolled his eyes, but blushed a little, too, looking a little pleased and delighted. "Best zonkin' ever, huh?"

"Ever, ever."

"Huh." Harry smiled a little to himself for a moment. "Were there any more reasons? Preferably ones that are more acceptable?"

"No, not that I'm aware of. Good or bad. But while I've got you here, I'll bring up something else."

"Joy."

"Mountains cascading with joy," Suntree agreed.

Harry snickered.

"But this is along the lines of the American government being interested in you. I've spoken to Laney about this at length, and this is actually something that she hasn't made much fuss over. Now that you're going to be known to the public, the USAS thinks that you could do with the presence of bodyguards."

"What? Me? Bodyguards? Me?"

"Yes, you. Not all the time, mind you, but when you start to go out into magical public places. You're important; we just discussed that, kid. And there's also the fact that, capable as your mother is, she couldn't defend you against magic. And yes, I know you're well on the way to defending yourself, but that's not the same as an adult witch or wizard being on hand."

"Okay…" Harry said slowly. "I can see that. And Mom likes this idea?"

"She doesn't entirely disapprove of the idea of bodyguards, and she's quite fine with the idea now that she knows that the USAS would simply make the Aurors you're already working with into your bodyguards. It just makes sense. We'd already be going out in the magical world with you; this just makes it official that we're to be there and that we can use official means to see to your safety."

"Oh…" Harry shrugged a little. "Okay."

"But it will mean some additional training."

Harry gave him an odd look. "You need training to have bodyguards?"

"You need to know how to respond when your bodyguard does something, yes. And how to move about in public and interact with other people so that your bodyguards can actually protect you."

Harry made a face.

"Don't like that?"

"Just sounds kind of not fun," he muttered. "Being surrounded by bodyguards and watching how I walk and stuff. I can see I won't want to go out very much."

"It won't be that restricting," Suntree said with amusement. "Unless for some reason you're doing some sort of special public appearance, if you decide to become that sort of public figure. But if you're just out shopping or having fun, it'll be very much like just being out with us. We'll have to be more on alert, and you'll have to pay attention to the way we act and listen when we tell you to do something, but it wouldn't be much different really."

"We'll see."

"It wouldn't be nearly as bad as you think."

"We'll see. At the moment, I'm more concerned with the fact there's this spot on the couch and I'll probably get blamed for it if I can't get it to come out."

Suntree snorted and pulled his wand out.

* * *

Harry stared down the length of his wand as Kathy stared back at him from the other end of it, looking even more surprised than he felt.

"Well, kid." She sat up slowly and rubbed the back of her head. "I certainly didn't expect you to take me down."

"Me either," Harry all but squeaked.

She laughed. "Good job, though. And I'm sure you're very aware that I wasn't incapable of continuing the fight. You might have knocked me down, but you probably wouldn't have won if we'd continued."

Harry nodded quickly.

"But still, very good job. Granted, I'm not Suntree or Terry. But I'm not Cam or Al either, so you're definitely improving."

"How's it feel to be in our shoes?" Al called out, still holding a cold potion pack to his cheek.

Kathy rolled her eyes and ignored him.

"Still, I'm impressed. I was underestimating you. I'm not sure why."

"We all do it," Cam said, still sipping a potion with a disgusted look. "No matter how many times he puts us down, we still get up and underestimate him."

"I expect it's because he's nine and stuff." Al shrugged. "Works in his favor right now."

Harry grinned. "Or maybe you're both just silly."

"Those sound like fightin' words."

"Al, stay there where it's safe," Cam sighed. "You're in no condition to challenge him right now."

"Oi, it's just a… nasty gash and… blinding headache… and yeah, I'll stay where I am."

"You're an idiot."

"You know you want me, Cam."

"Idiot."

"We're like peanut butter and-"

"Ketchup, Al. We're peanut butter and ketchup. They don't go together. Ever."

"They do for me."

"Well, you're a freak. And I'm not."

Harry stifled a giggle.

* * *

"MOOOM!!"

There was a thud from downstairs. "What?!"

"Turtles! Teenage! Movie! Preview! Turtles! Movie! Mom! Turtles! See! Have to! Turtles!"

Laney paused at the top of the stairs with a frown. "No standing on the couch."

"Mom! Turtles! Mom!" He thrust the remote at the television, still standing on the couch, practically vibrating with excitement. "Mom! Turtles!"

She came over to stare at the television screen. It was a commercial for paper towels.

"Turtles?"

"Turtles! Just there! On! Movie coming out! Have to go!"

"When's the movie?"

Harry stared at her with wide eyes. "Oh-my-God-I-don't-know!"

"Well, keep watching for it then, kid."

"Turtles!"

"Yep, sure. I'm going to go downstairs now."

"Turtles!"

Laney rolled her eyes and headed back downstairs. She managed not to drop her book again when Harry let out another excited shriek almost twenty minutes later.

"Turtles!"

* * *

"Jamie!"

"I didn't do it!"

There was a few moments silence. "And just what did you not do?"

"Um. Whatever might have been done." Harry appeared at the top of the stairs. "Unless it's good, and then I claim full credit."

Laney rolled her eyes. "Come downstairs."

"Oookay." He summoned a bookmark and marked his place as he followed Laney into the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway with a bit of squeak.

Terry gave him an amused smile and Suntree's mouth twitched. The brown haired man at the table simply raised his brows slightly.

"Mom!" Harry whispered. "You could have warned me! I would have changed!"

Laney gave him an amused smile. "You've been walking around in those clothes all day. How was I supposed to know?"

"Yeah, but- Mooom."

"On the contrary," Suntree remarked. "I think the pink shirt and the shorts with frogs all over them look great. Better be careful before you start the newest fashion trend. Wouldn't you agree, Tony?"

The stranger made a 'hm' sound as Harry blushed.

"It's not my shirt," Harry muttered. "It just feels nice."

"But as grateful as we are for that lesson in fashion, that's not why we called you down." Suntree gestured to the man. "Jamie, this is Antony. Antony, the fashion guru is Jamie."

Harry scowled at Suntree, and then with great dignity made his way over to where Antony sat to offer his hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Antony."

The man smiled a little. "Tony's fine."

"Tony, then."

"What are you reading?"

"Transformation Theory by Adeara Campbell-Lene."

"Do you like it?"

He shrugged. "It's okay."

"Bit heavy?"

"Unnecessarily wordy. And too general. I mean, she obviously knows her stuff. Her Treatise on Transfigurative Evolution was great. A little dry, but the sheer brilliance of the work shone out completely. But this…?" He shrugged. "Eh."

"Charms is more my area of interest."

"Charms is a lot of fun." Harry nodded sagely. "I've been learning warding lately, theory _and_ practical. It's a lot of fun. Though it's not entirely Charms related; there's a fair bit of Arithmancy and runes involved in a lot of wards, too."

Laney gave a little stifled laugh. "You'll find Jamie is a budding expert on the various fields of magic."

Suntree nodded. "He reads these types of books for fun."

"Because understanding the foundation and origins of magic is fun," Harry said with a sniff.

"As interesting as this surely is," Suntree said before Harry could go off on the importance of theory, "Tony's not here for an afternoon of magical theory discussion."

"But perhaps another afternoon," Tony remarked, considering Harry with an unreadable look. "It could be entertaining."

"Tony's the other Auror I mentioned," Suntree continued. "The one I was referring to when I mentioned you'd be getting some general instruction and with an introduction to the art of no rules, dirty fighting. Tony also brings a different magical background to your instruction; his way of doing magic may be a little bit more familiar to you."

Harry gave Tony a curious look. "A different magical background?"

"I'm primarily self-taught up to about the age of sixteen."

"Really? I thought they kept watch on magical outbursts and visited families?"

"They do. But I was left on my own from an early age and I more or less raised myself. That's a story for another time, however." He gave Harry a faint smile. "So, from what I hear, your magic style seems to consist of you feeling your way around magic and using pure will projection."

"Pure will projection?"

"You don't bother with theory or ritualized words and motions. You simply envision the process or the end result and you force-"

"No," Harry interrupted firmly. "I don't force or bend or demand or control magic in any way."

"Jamie has had a bit of Magurist exposure," Terry explained. "Though they only cemented his ideas, they aren't responsible for them."

Tony considered him. "So, for the Maguristically inclined, pure will projection is when you simply envision the process of what you want done or the end result and you _work_ with magic to find the best way of achieving your visualization. You don't use the power of carved channels of magic. Do you know about the carved channels?"

"It's the theory that, um…" Harry searched his memory. The others in the room waited patiently. "Oh. It's the theory that the constant use of words and actions has sort of made impressions or carved channels in magic itself. So when you cast a spell with words or movement or both, you're directing the magic along the channel, and it makes it easier for the magic to develop and flow, so you don't have to work as hard to cast a spell. It's like walking through the forest. You can do it by just walking through it in one direction, but it's much easier to walk a well worn path."

"Yes, that. Good analogy, by the way." Tony nodded. "That's how I learned my own magic, and how I tend to continue to do most of my every day magic. A lot of people learn pure will projection at some point-"

"Not really," Harry interrupted. "People learn deeper focus and concentration, how to direct magic without words and how to push their power instead of letting a wand pull it. But actual pure will projection? No, they don't learn that. The rituals of magic are already ingrained, it's subconscious. People learn magic with a wand first to have that in their subconscious. Not a lot of people are just forming magic on the fly, wordless and wandless."

Tony considered him a little longer. "I'll agree to that."

"Just saying." Harry shrugged.

"Your 'just saying' was rational, intelligent and well thought out. If that's a norm for you then we'll get along just fine."

Harry grinned. "Awesome."

"Now," Suntree continued with a little pleased smile, "Tony would like to observe you – physical training and mock-fights, magical training and mock-duels, and some of your lessons. He wants to see where you stand before he starts making any suggestions."

"I'm not taking over anything," Tony put in. "I'm just getting up to speed."

"Tony will also eventually be helping us with the bodyguard training," Terry added. "I'll be going away in a couple weeks, as I mentioned a few days ago, but before I leave, I'll be going over certain procedures and expectations."

"I've worked as a bodyguard before. Though not too often, and just with adults."

"I'm practically an adult," Harry said. "Sort of practically."

"In your head, sure," Terry said with a grin. "But you're practically ten in size. Makes a difference."

"For now, though, we'll let you get back to your recreational studies." Suntree gave the large book in the crook of Harry's arm an amused look. "Tony, Terry and I will be by this weekend to do that observation, and then we'll give you your upcoming spring break for whatever you want to do."

"Potions every other day," Laney muttered. "At least it's not in my kitchen any more."

Suntree's mouth twitched. "And after spring break, we'll get back to work."

Harry grinned. "Sounds good to me."

Suntree inclined his head with dignity. "I'm sure it'll be barrels of oodley fun."

Harry snickered.


	20. Chapter 20

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: I own lots of Eeyore stuff. But I don't own Eeyore. Ditto on Harry Potter.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Thanks go to my ten reviewers for the last chapter. Research paper ugh is getting a bit better. Everyone else… I love reviews! Happy reviews!

Review Responses: None. But this time because there aren't actually any responses necessary, something I hadn't realized that week. Not even up through chapter 19. So, no responses. I think I just might post some random facts about the story in place of those review responses.

AN: Britpicker… yeah…

BETAS: Megan, Jynx67, Silveredred and Madam Whitbrook. Awesome people all around.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 20

* * *

"So?" Suntree gave John an expectant look.

"You're right. There's been a noticeable difference in how my leg feels after I spend time around Jamie." John settled his feet on the ottoman with a bit of a smile. "I've been keeping a journal and visiting my healer a lot. He's very curious as to what I'm doing."

"What have you learned?"

"It's not just being around Jamie that makes the difference; it's touching him that does. And on the days where he's been rubbing my leg, it always feels better and the healer always reports that the curse is the most mellowed that he's ever seen it."

"You seem to be walking better and in less pain."

"Because I am. Whatever he does wears off, but it's slow. Two weeks, sometimes three, and then it starts to creep back in slowly. Something very interesting that I notice, though – Jamie seems to rub or just rest his hand in the same general area, and that's the area my healer identifies as being knotted up the most with the lingering effects of the curse."

"There's definitely magic sensing going on there," Suntree said after a few moments of thought. "It definitely seems to be getting stronger, not weaker, as he gets older."

"I'd say so."

"And this other thing… it's not exactly healing," Suntree mused. "Healing is speeding up the body's own healing processes and introducing potions, magic and medication to affect the healing process. He just seems to be… manipulating or altering the curse fragments."

"Subconsciously at that."

They exchanged a thoughtful look.

"Think if he had conscious control over it he might one day be able to remove magic like that?" Suntree asked. "Or alter it more permanently?"

"Hard to say." John shrugged. "Maybe. It might be worth having a healer work with him. At least to figure out what this is he's doing. There's probably a lot more to it than we can see; he might have a very important ability there."

"Hm. One day, yes, he should have someone work with him. But not too soon. He has enough going on and he doesn't need a new ability to deal with right now. We'll monitor it, though; make sure it doesn't suddenly flare up and get the best of him."

* * *

"I must admit I'm impressed. I came in expecting to be disappointed, only to find you under-exaggerated his abilities."

Suntree snorted.

Tony glanced over at the well locked shed behind the garage. "And his training area is much more professional than I expected."

"Laney has been very generous in helping us set things up for him."

"She's a very interesting woman," Tony observed. "She's unmistakably wary of magic, and yet completely supportive and honestly pleased with his successes."

"Very unique family."

"Which seems to include you and the other Aurors," Tony noted.

"They do have a habit of adopting us. Well, Jamie really. But Laney seems fine by the adoption, as well."

"Harry Potter."

Suntree nodded. "Yes, Harry Potter."

"And he'll be going by that when he starts his magical classes," Tony more said than asked.

"Yes." Suntree waved to Harry as Harry peered over the top of his wood fort. Harry grinned at him for a moment before ducking out of sight. Al came stalking around the side of the fort a few moments later, looking highly alert.

"His playground wouldn't fit into my apartment," Tony remarked. "The middle fort is practically a maze of tunnels. Three twisting slides, two sets of monkey bars, two types of bridges, some sort of net thing going up the entire side of that fort, some rather high towers, swings… Parts of it rather remind me of some of the Auror training obstacle courses."

"They might have elements in common."

"Does the kid realize he's doing a classic Auror evasion exercise?"

"Maybe." Suntree shrugged. "He just knows Monster is a fun game. They take turns being The Monster."

"The Monster, huh?" Tony asked with a quirk of a smile.

"Yes. The Monster."

"Hm… So he's also learning tracking techniques."

"And he's also playing a fun game."

Tony chuckled.

"What did you think of his performances last weekend?" Suntree asked after watching the cat and mouse game for a few more minutes.

"His grasp of theory is nothing short of astounding, and yet there are curious holes in his understanding. He takes well to abstract theory if you can provide something realistic to base it on, but anything too left field he struggles with. And yet, some of the theories that most people would find too left field, he takes to without batting an eye. He has all of the classic traits of a magic sensor."

"Darn strong one, too," Suntree confirmed.

"And that kid is independent as hell."

Suntree coughed. "Fair assessment. Better watch that mouth around Laney. She has a spoon."

"Big wooden thing?"

"Yeah."

"She introduced it to me last weekend when I was here to observe. Several times. It stung a little." He gave Suntree an amused look. "I told her 'Ma'am, that's assault on an officer of the law,' and she told me ,'No, it's an assault on the ears of my nine-year-old son and I will not have that in my house, do you understand me, young man?' And then she hit me again."

Suntree laughed.

"She's a feisty one. And probably almost half my age. I can see where the kid gets it." He looked over to the playground. Al was stalking along the maze area of the fort, judging every step with extra care, while Harry watched Al's progress from the farther fort, balancing in a space he shouldn't have been able to fit in, let alone reach. "She aware Jamie has a bit of a mouth on him when he gets frustrated during physical training?"

"Laney? Yeah. She's aware and pretends not to be. She understands it helps with frustration. But you'd better believe she's keeping an eye on his language when he's not in a lesson or physical defense session. We pretty much just shrug and stay out of it."

"I don't blame you." Tony's brows went up. "Did he just do a… cartwheel on that beam…?" His eyes widened a little. "…He just… did a split? Ow."

"Did someone not mention he's been in gymnastics for about six years?"

"No, no one mentioned that. Hell, I thought I was impressed before. We are definitely incorporating that into his fighting style."

"What do you think of his fighting style?"

"Impressive physical fighter. Granted, you're going a bit easy on him. But he is nine."

"And magical?"

"Eh. Pretty damn good. But you're going entirely too easy on him."

"He is nine," Suntree said, giving Tony a pointed, amused look.

"So? He doesn't have the magic of a nine-year-old. I'm not saying you should teach him darker or more dangerous stuff. But you can certainly push his response time, control and accuracy. He's very creative with spells, but his resolve falters if something doesn't quite go the way he expected it. You need to work on his recovery."

"Hm."

"You're seeing him as a talented nine-year-old. Having grown up the way I did, I don't see age or appearances or any of that when I assess someone. You watch what someone's capable of or you might not have a chance to watch it again. And the kid is certainly capable of more."

"We'll have you sit in on some of our lessons, then. You can offer on the spot suggestions."

"Works for me."

* * *

"We're going to be incorporating some new things into your training now," Suntree told Harry as Harry rocked back and forth on his heels next to Suntree's chair.

"I had pie."

Suntree gave him a raised brow look.

"Sorry. It was Brian's birthday today in class, and instead of cupcakes we had pie. It was delicious."

"Must have been if your mind is still on it."

"It was crumbly. It was delicious."

"Did you ask for the recipe?" Suntree asked dryly.

"As a matter of fact, I did," Harry told him haughtily. "When Mrs. Brian's Mom came and picked him up, I asked her and she wrote it down for me. I have it right here." He reached into his back pocket, but didn't find a slip of paper. He tried the other back pocket and then both front pockets, growing more puzzled with each.

"Mrs. Brian's Mom?"

"Her last name is a great big mouthful that sounds like butter in the beginning and ends in an owski sound and has the vowels like the smell of flubber in the middle."

"What?"

Harry turned to Tony with an eye roll and a retort on his lips that morphed into an indignant, "Hey!" He snatched the piece of much folded paper from Tony's hands. "How did you get my recipe? It was in my pocket!"

"Sorry, habit."

"Habit? What habit? Magical recipe thieving is habit? You need new habits, man."

"I just noticed an odd shape in your back pocket and I decided to see what it was. You didn't even notice."

"Bwah."

"Bwah?"

"Bwah. Bwah habba baba."

"If you've broken him, you're paying to fix him," Suntree remarked.

"Er, that could get expensive. The weird parts always cost more."

"That's the price you pay for breaking Jamie."

"Is there a payment plan option? Or maybe layaway?"

"No Jamie in layaway!" Harry interrupted with a huff.

"Anyway…" Tony eyed Harry. "I'm a pickpocket. I can't resist easy targets."

Harry made a highly indignant noise. "Easy target?"

"Well, you didn't even notice."

"Why- you- bwah!"

"I can teach you if you like."

Harry sniffed. "Well, all right then. And stay out of my pockets in the meantime." He pointed at his eyes and then pointed at Tony. "I got my eyes on you. And my butt's got eyes on you, too, so don't even think about it."

Tony twitched after a moment. "That's… definitely an image."

"That's our Jamie, king of broken images."

Harry eyed Suntree. "Are you funning me?"

"Me? Fun? How preposterous. The only fun in me came from Webster's dictionary."

Harry eyed him even more. "Anyway- Way not cool!" Harry snatched the recipe back from Tony. "You took it right from my hands!"

"I was still reading it. This bit with the cinnamon is interesting."

"Yeah, it is- but that's not the point!" He smoothed the paper down on the table, then suddenly pointed at his eyes again and then at Tony. "Watching you. Me and my butt."

"Duly noted."

"Anyway." He paused to give Tony a suspicious look. He turned it on Suntree, just for good measure. "Anyway, see, here's my recipe. I'm going to see if Mom will let me bake it. It was delicious." He pointed at Tony suddenly. "Out of my pockets, Mr. Pocket Thieving Man. You're going for my bubble gum, aren't you? Well, you can't. It's my Bubblicious. Mine. Got that?"

"You have bubble gum?" Suntree asked mildly.

"No, not at all. I have no bubble gum. And it is not delicious."

"You know your mother thinks bubble gum is disgusting."

"It's mine. I won it in class for answering all the questions about the supplemental reading that almost no one else did and I'm not givin' it up."

"All right."

Harry eyed him before nodding. "Good."

"If I may continue?"

Harry gave Suntree a gracious nod.

"We're going to be incorporating some new things into your training now. You'll be working on speed casting, control and accuracy with some stationary targets, and then you'll work with moving targets to try and develop the skills there. Tony's also come up with some training exercises in dealing with the unexpected."

"Indeed I have," Tony put in. "I'm going to start setting up scenarios where I put you in the middle of something that's already gone wrong and you need to learn how to think on your feet to correct it quickly and to your advantage."

Harry nodded.

"And we've discussed it with John," Suntree continued, "and he's going to start working with you on spell identification. Up to this point, we've only been using spells you were familiar with or that would be easy to identify. We're going to start training with more wordless magic and using spells you haven't encountered before. Some of them will be a little more dangerous. It's important to be able to guess what spell might be headed your way so you have some idea how to defend against it."

Harry nodded again.

"Now head upstairs and change for your lessons today."

"And don't forget your recipe. And bubble gum." Tony held it out.

Harry snatched it. "You- my gum- told you- bwah!"

"I didn't chew any of it," Tony told him mildly.

"Bwah!" Harry clutched his recipe and gum close and sidled out of the room. Suntree gave Tony a sidelong look.

"What? He's adorable when he splutters."

* * *

"We've got some new arrangements," Tony informed Harry with a wolfish grin. "Great work with Cam, by the way."

Harry gave Tony a dark look as Halley snorted and continued to patch up the gash on his leg.

"Nah, really, good work. I told her not to go easy on you. Sure, you're getting hurt a bit more-"

"A lot more," Halley interrupted. "Honestly. Beating up on this child."

"Hal, you respond more often to patch up us big, bad Aurors than you do to patch up the kid."

"And it serves you right." She sent a sharp smile over her shoulder to Tony. "Does my heart good to see it."

"Anyway, great work with Cam. I'll be honest, of course, and say that Cam's strengths don't lie in physical fighting. But given the fact that she's a trained Auror and you're not even a proper Auror trainee, great work. You definitely have more in your corner now that you're mixing magic into the physical defense. Does it feel good to know you're beating her on your own these days? "

"Yes," Harry said a little grudgingly.

"You still get your butt kicked by Suntree, of course, but he's been in the field somewhere around thirty years. You hold against him well, and that's saying something."

Harry winced as Halley made patterns in the air above his leg and the skin started to stitch itself together.

"Focus, Jamie."

"I'm very fucking focused," Harry muttered.

"Careful with the language," Cam put in from across the room.

"I'm in pain. Fuck off."

Tony snorted.

"One of these days, young man, I am going to wash that mouth of yours out with soap," Halley informed him.

"It's their fault. Wash their mouths out. They're always flinging words around when I train."

"Helps him focus his anger," Tony said with a shrug. "Just leave it be."

Harry winced again and then groaned a little. "Damn that hurts."

"Back to the topic. Cam will continue to work with you until you're no longer drawing even most of the time. Al's going to pick up working with you again over the summer. I'll be taking over the bulk of your magical defense and offense training right now."

Harry groaned. "Man. I suck so bad against you."

"Yes, you definitely do."

"That's not helping."

"Not going to lie when it's pretty obvious."

"Looks like I'm going to be on call for a while," Halley muttered.

"But Jamie, I'm not playing nice or slow when I train your magic. I treat you like any first year Auror trainee."

Harry gave him a startled look. "What?"

"I treat you like a first year Auror trainee. You've got the magical strength, power and control to handle that level of work, and you seem to thrive on the challenge. You lack some of the magical maturity for it, as well as some of the mental maturity to handle the really hard, dark and painful stuff, but other than that… I mean, I'm not trying to hurt you or seriously take you down and I'm pulling some of the magical punches, but I'm not holding back as much you'd think."

Harry stared at him. "Um… Does that mean I could, in theory, like, win a fight against an Auror trainee?"

Tony considered that. "In theory… you could come very close to it, and in some cases you would have the ability to do so."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Harry considered that. "Really, really?"

"Yes, really."

"Huh. Well. That's… pretty awesome cool, actually."

"It is indeed," Tony agreed with amusement. "But you are a wildcat. Now that we've actually got you recovering from mistakes and moving on from them instead of losing focus, you're starting to get a little formidable." Tony looked at Suntree. "Wouldn't you say wildcat's formidable in a magical fight?"

"That's one word for it," Suntree remarked, closing the shed door and coming fully into the training room. "Oh, more blood, I see."

Harry glared. "Pain."

"'Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.'"

Harry scowled. "No quoting Princess Bride at me when I'm pissy."

"Though I'd say he's more frightening when you spar with no rules." Suntree raised a brow. "Even keeps me on my toes."

"There's something to be said for his wild, flailing, unpredictable style." Tony grinned.

"Fuck you. Fuck you both."

"Language," Suntree said absently as he settled on a nearby bench.

Harry glared all the more. Neither man seemed phased in the slightest.

"So I'll be taking over your magical training in large part," Tony continued, looking fairly amused, "and working with you on crafting that wildness into something of a style. Al will work with you over the summer in magical fighting when you're better equipped to respond to what we'll have planned then. You and Cam will continue to beat each other up on a regular basis-"

"I will continue to be on call," Halley grumped.

"And here you thought being the kid's personal healer would be boring."

Halley sent Tony a look. "Remember I'm the one that heals you."

Tony grinned even more. "So what remains at this point is the fact that you still suck pretty bad at this bodyguard stuff, wildcat."

Harry shot him a look. "You teach me to react on instinct to defend myself, and now you're telling me to not react, put my head down and obey everyone's commands. You so cannot blame my lack of protectability on me."

"Nah, we can't," Tony agreed. "But we can work at it and try to find a nice balance. You're right, we can't expect you to just duck down passively and let us protect you. You're not being trained to react that way. That's why we're having such problems. I think I've come up with a good compromise, however."

Harry gave him a doubtful look. "Go for it."

"We're going to teach you how to respond as a reserve force, in a sense. We don't want you to just passively do what we say. I mean, it'd be nice in a way, but we'd rather you learn to react. We shouldn't have even tried for the typical reactions; that was foolishness on my part. Frankly, your instincts for the magic going on around you are going to be much keener than ours in no time at all, and your instincts are on level with ours right now."

"We've worked with you in fighting in a group, and that's what we're going to develop here," Suntree picked up. "You'll be expected to remain highly alert and ready with a spell, and even to make your own judgment calls on returning spells, should the situation warrant it. You just need to learn how to do that without breaking protective cover."

"So we'll continue to develop your awareness of your bodyguards and their body language, how to respond to them without them needing to verbalize what they want and how to adjust your position and tactics based on theirs. To that same end, you'll be learning the Auror sign language, as well as regular sign language. We use both in the field."

Harry nodded. "Okay… that sounds like it actually has a chance of working."

Suntree snorted a little.

"So we ready to go again?" Tony asked with a grin. "You look pretty well recovered at this point."

Halley huffed but held her tongue.

Harry groaned. "Fine. Making me do all this work…"

But as he got up, he couldn't deny that he liked flinging spells hard and fast and feeling challenged as magic crackled all around him.

* * *

"Sweetie, come here, please."

Harry yawned, backed out of the kitchen and moved down the hall to Laney's bedroom. He peered in a little cautiously. She was sitting up in bed, still in pajamas herself. She gave him a warm smile and gave the bed a pat.

"Come here, baby."

"Not a baby," he told her around another yawn, crawling up onto the bed and sitting cross legged at her side, facing her.

"Now that summer's here, I want to ask you something."

"'Kay."

"You've got a lot of stuff planned this summer. A lot of your time seems like it'll be devoted to working with magic and training and all of that."

"Yep."

"Do you really want to do it?"

Harry frowned. "Huh?"

"Do you really want to do it, sweetie? Most kids like to laze about during the summer and run around outside and watch TV and go fun places and stuff. You don't get much time to do that because of all of this, and I don't want you to ever miss out on it. So if you don't want to do this stuff this summer, just say so. They won't pressure you."

"I don't mind, Mom."

She reached out to brush his messy hair back from his face. "Are you really happy, honey? You're going to be ten in a couple of months, and you've hardly had any time to be a normal kid. I don't want to take that away from you."

"No, I'm happy. I am."

"Really? Entirely? You don't want things to be different? Not even sometimes?"

Harry considered that, taking her hand in his. At last he gave her an odd, small smile. "I'm happy. I'm way awesomely happy. Maybe every once in a while I kind of wonder how it is for other kids, but… I don't really sit around wanting it or anything. It's not something I wish I could have. I… don't really care. I don't want to be normal, I like being me. I mean, normal kids… they've got all sorts of rules about doing magic and their family treats them like kids and it just doesn't look like all that much fun-"

"I daresay they treat them like kids because they are kids," Laney said dryly.

"Yeah, but you guys don't act like that with me. I mean, you don't act like I'm an adult exactly, but you do act like I have a brain and should make decisions and be a part of deciding things. And I sure as heck don't want things to be normal with magic. Kids can't do magic if they're normal, and that completely sucks. I love magic. I like learning it, practicing it, doing it. Without supervision. Normal kids want to be me, Mom, that is how totally awesome my life is."

Laney snorted with amusement, but soon she was looking more pensive. "But all of the training…"

"Well… I'm not going to say that I'm in love with the getting my butt kicked part of it all, but otherwise… it's a lot of fun when I'm not getting hurt. And you guys, you all talk about it, like, using words like training and stuff and-"

"It is," Laney cut in. "Training and stuff."

Harry shrugged a little. "Yeah, it is. But it's also just having fun a lot of the time. It's a lot of hard work, totally, and sometimes it's kind of painful, and that sucks and I don't like that and sometimes want to not be doing it right then, but… most of the time I like it. It's like… you know those kids that practice gymnastics or ice skating or something all the time, every day, for hours, just because they love it and want to be the best they can be? I kind of see me like that. They like doing it, accomplishing something hard, showing it off, competing, winning… I feel the same way."

"You don't get to be a kid much."

Harry gave her a look. "Now that's just silly, Mom. I play soccer, ride my bike, do gymnastics, play with friends from school, hiking… I watch TV and read books all the time, I play video games, I've got an entire play room full of games and toys, and I can almost always find someone willing to have fun with me. I get to visit a lot of neat places, those fairs and shows and museums and stuff. And with magic, we can visit a lot of those places we couldn't before. That's entirely awesome. So I'm thinking I get to do more fun kid stuff than most kids."

"Most kids don't have to deal with broken bones and getting hurt and-"

Harry laughed. "Yeah they do. If they're boys. Shawn, from school, he fell out of a tree two weeks ago and broke his arm. Now he's got a cast on and it'll be on for _forever_."

"I wouldn't quite say forever," Laney murmured with a small smile.

"But Mom, boys are always doing stupid stuff at school, getting scraped up and cut and bruised and all that. At least when I break a finger or wrist, I'm not being dumb-"

"Oh?"

"Okay, most of the time. I'm not being dumb most of the time." Harry rolled his eyes. "And it's healed up by the next day. And that other stuff is super easy to deal with. So maybe I might get hurt more, but I don't stay hurt for long, because magic is just that totally, completely awesome. And I'm usually not getting hurt because I'm being a retard."

Laney smiled a little and rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand. "You really don't wish things were more normal?"

"No. Why would I want that? I've got a great family. You're the best Mom ever, and everyone else is awesome, and we all get on great. I wouldn't have any of that if I had a so-called normal life. I get to do magic whenever I want and I get to learn just about anything that looks interesting. I definitely wouldn't be able to have that if I were just a normal magical kid. I feel super safe and protected and I hardly ever have to worry…"

Laney smiled a little more, but she still looked troubled.

"Mom, this _is_ normal for me. And it's probably totally for the best. All this Harry Potter stuff I've been learning and all that, well, I don't think I ever would have really been able to be normal once I got older, would I've? No. And if I hadn't been prepared like I've been, then I wouldn't be able to really handle being famous, and that would totally suck. I wouldn't know how to handle non-magical friends, probably wouldn't have many magical friends I could trust. I wouldn't know anything much about the magical world going into it, and the other kids wouldn't be very nice about it, and that would have entirely sucked. On top of that, I have these special abilities, this magic sensing and being able to do things with magic that other people can't. So I really don't think normal would have ever worked for me."

"Suntree told me that if you hadn't been exposed to magic, with all the lessons and everything, the magic sensing and other abilities would have likely just gone away. You would have had abilities just like everyone else."

"That'd kind of suck. I mean, I wouldn't know about it if it happened that way, obviously, because I obviously wouldn't have had it happen. But having it, I hate to think of what it'd be like not to have all that. I can't imagine what it'd be like not to just feel magic being all there and wonderful and great and stuff."

"So you're happy with the way things are?"

"I am. I'm totally, really, super duper, completely, awesomely happy."

Laney smiled a little. "All that, huh?"

"Totally."

She gave his hand a little squeeze. "Just as long as you're happy. That's the most important thing."

"I am, Mom. I'm way awesome happy. And, um…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm also way awesome hungry…"

Laney snorted, shaking her head with a smile. "How about we go out to breakfast?"

"That is a way awesome cool way to start summer."

Laney laughed and leaned forward to kiss his forehead. "I love you, kid."

"Love you, too, Mom."


	21. Chapter 21

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Please? So beyond appreciated. Really.

Review Responses: None. Because it's not necessary. Not too many reviews either. Bit disheartening, really.

AN: Britpicker. Am very fast approaching the 'can't go any further' point where I'm writing ahead.

AN2: Random facts and trivia is up in place of a review response on the Ygroup. It includes a bit of random info about American magical system and such nuggets as why the radishes try not to take offense to Suntree.

BETAS: Megan, Jynx67, Silveredred and Madam Whitbrook. Yay.

Edit: Chapter replaced 05.10.08 with tweaked pre-story stuff and small formatting change. All previous chapters replaced for the same pre-story and formatting changes. The first two chapters revised and replaced.

Edit: Quick note, the hotel is on the beach and magical Disney is in the same place as non-magical Disney. They're taking a Portkey to and from Disney. 05.11.08

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 21

* * *

"Guess what, Jamie?"

Harry looked up from gluing macaroni pieces together in the vague, lumpy shape of a ninja turtle. Serish hissed, unhappy at the sudden movement, but she settled around his shoulders again when he hissed back a soft reassurance.

"So freaking weird," Al muttered from where he was slouched at the other side of the kitchen table, watching the slow macaroni building process.

"Aww, does Uncle Al not like the little snake?" Harry grinned and tossed a piece of macaroni at him when he made a face. Laney gave Harry a stern look and Harry continued to grin as he levitated the macaroni back onto the table.

"Not like you're one to talk, Mom," he pointed out, adding another piece of macaroni to the shell. He glanced up as he held it in place, applying a touch of a drying charm to the glue. "You start half the popcorn fights in this house, you know." At Laney's unimpressed look, he shrugged. "So, what's going on?"

Laney's mouth turned up in a half grin. "How'd you like to go to Disney?"

Harry jerked upright in surprise. Serish threatened to swallow his head. Harry just rearranged her.

"Are you serious, Mom? Like totally serious? Really, seriously?

"Really, seriously, totally, yeah."

"You have to even ask?! That's so seriously awesome cool! Yes! When are we going?! Who's going?! How long will we be there?! When-?!"

"Calm down, calm down," Laney told him with a grin. "We were thinking next week."

"Judging from the sudden rapturous delight emanating from the kitchen, I take it someone told him about Disney?" Suntree lounged in the kitchen doorway.

"I did. I was just getting ready to answer some questions, in fact."

"By all means, before his head explodes."

Laney looked back to Harry. "We were thinking next week. And it'd be us, Al, Sunny, Tony, if you like, Cam and Kathy. The group. We'd have waited for Terry, but he won't be back until mid-July, and it'll be even hotter then."

"So way awesome cool!"

Laney laughed. "That sounds like approval to me."

"And there's more," Suntree said with amusement. "We're going to Disney World in Florida. We were thinking we'd make this our first real trip to a magical area, and we'd do a test run of this new bodyguard stuff." He raised a brow. "Since you seem to be sucking a little less at it these days."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"We'll make it a four day trip, probably. Well, five-ish days," Laney mused. "We'll get there later afternoon on Monday and just get settled in Monday night. So Tuesday would technically be our second day there and we'd get up sort of early to visit Disney, make it an all-day event. And some of us were thinking of visiting the beach and maybe doing a little shopping and taking in some sights or something on the last couple days."

"For real? Seriously? The beach? Like, with the water and the sand and- and- scratch that last part before Al makes fun of me."

"Oh, you already said it," Al said with a grin, sitting up.

"Not now, Al," Laney told him. "If you two get to teasing each other, we'll never finish this conversation."

"Aww, not even a little teasing?"

"No. Honestly, it's like you two are brothers or something."

"Like, no," Harry said. "Al's, like, way too old."

Al gave him a look. "Excuse you. I'm barely thirty. Your mother's older than me. Are you calling her old?"

"Mommies never get old," Harry told him with a sniff. "Shows what you know."

"Smooth save, kid." Laney ruffled his hair with a grin.

Harry stuck out his tongue at Al.

"So all agreed that Disney and the beach are a great idea?"

"Totally, Mom! That's so way awesome cool that there aren't even words to describe the awesome coolness of it."

"And yet you always find them," Laney said with amusement.

"I try," Harry said modestly.

Laney laughed and looked over to Sunny. "Go ahead with your Disney plans, then."

"Woo, we're off to Disney World." Suntree mimicked waving a flag. "Where dreams come true. Or something."

* * *

"All prepared for the Portkey?"

"As prepared as I'm going to be," Laney muttered.

"We have nausea potions with us." Kathy gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"We ready?! We ready?! We ready?!" Harry skipped excitedly into the room.

"Yes, we're ready." Suntree checked a pocket watch then pulled out two scarves, one yellow and one red. "Cam, Kathy and Al, you'll take the first Portkey and the luggage. The rest of us will follow in five minutes."

There were nods from everyone and the two groups split. Harry watched, bouncing on the balls of his feet, as the luggage was bound together with magical straps and Cam, Kathy and Al each took a firm grip on one of the straps. When the Portkey activated to Suntree's countdown, the entire group disappeared without a problem.

Suntree looked the rest of them over. "Ready?"

"Yeah!"

"I think I forgot my toothbrush," Tony said with a bit of a smirk.

Harry gave him a look. "Tough. Buy a new one."

"I'm quite attached to it."

"Good. It'll be waiting for you when you come back."

"I don't think I could cheat behind its back with another toothbrush."

"Then walk around with stinky breath. I don't care."

"Stop teasing Jamie," Suntree told Tony. "Here, grab the scarf." Suntree rested a hand on Harry's shoulder. Tony put an arm around Laney. She gave him a startled look.

"If you're going to be feeling sick when you get there, I doubt you want to fall over."

She flushed a little. "Oh, um, of course. Thanks."

"In three, two, one-"

The Portkey jerked them all to the side by the navel. The jostling, jerking trip seemed to take twice as long as usual before their feet met the ground. Suntree helped keep Harry steady and on his feet and Tony wrapped both arms around Laney as she swayed with a groan.

"Here you go." Kathy pressed a vial into her hands. "Up and down. Now just give it a few seconds to work…"

It was more than a few seconds before Laney stopped looking sick and was able to stand confidently on her own feet, but it was less than a minute. When Tony pulled away he didn't remark on her flushed face.

"All right, everyone grab the bag you're responsible for," Suntree instructed, tucking away his watch and winding the scarves together and tucking them away.

Bags in hand, they left the room and found themselves in a spacious lobby. At first glance it looked like any other posh hotel lobby with luxurious seating arrangements, plants and trees spread around, a fountain in the foyer, a water feature off to the side and a bank of elevators behind them and to the left. But the normal image didn't stand up to a closer look.

The fountain had a statue in the center of it of two entwined mermaids. The tails twitched and flipped as they giggled, waving and smiling and laughing silently at people who stopped by the fountain. The water feature was a waterfall that took up the entire left wall of the large lobby. The water seemed to appear from thin air just below the ceiling and it cascaded into a pool at floor level. Beside the elevators, there was a floor directory that answered questions. Off to one side, a broom was sweeping the floor all by itself. At the check-in counter a state was offering to hold someone's bag as the bag kept trying to escape.

Harry looked up at the enchanted ceiling. It showed a perfect blue sky dotted with perfect cotton ball clouds. "Wow…"

"Come on," Suntree said, snapping Laney and Harry out of staring. "We're six floors up. We have a nice view of the ocean from the rooms." He led the way to the elevators as Cam and Al followed, directing the luggage along with their wands.

By the time they caught up with the rest of the group, the elevator doors were open and Suntree ushered everyone in. Harry watched in wonder as the elevator expanded a little as each of them got on until it fit them all comfortably.

"Wow…"

"Expanding space charm," Kathy told him, catching his look.

"What's that?"

"Sixth floor, please," Suntree informed the elevator.

"Know the layering space charm?" Kathy asked. "Where you can make a space inside bigger than the outside? This is the same thing, but you add a sort of elastic edge to the visual perception of the room. The elevator itself isn't actually getting bigger, the space is already expanded and it's just visually showing more of itself as more people step in."

"Wow… So I could, like, walk through the wall because it's an illusion?"

"Not quite," Suntree remarked, rapping on a wall. "There's a barrier up so things can't slide behind the illusion and get lost, like luggage, pets or small children."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal a nicely decorated hallway that stretched in either direction.

"Sixth floor," the elevator told them. "Enjoy your stay. Be sure to try some fresh squeezed Florida orange juice during your visit."

"Need help finding your rooms?" a portrait across from the elevator asked them as the piled out into the hallway.

"Thank you, but no."

"You're welcome." The portrait, a man in swim shorts and a surfboard, gave them a jaunty wave and took off running for the waving in the background.

"Wow…" Harry trailed along after Suntree.

The rooms were normal in comparison and Harry found it to be both a relief and a letdown. He wandered through the space slowly. There was a living room area with a kitchenette, a bedroom with one wall that was almost entirely a glass window looking out over the ocean, and a bathroom attached to the bedroom that was the most noticeably magical, being far bigger inside than it should have been. The pictures on the walls were of the ocean, seashells, sunsets and other beach orientated things. Harry stopped to look at one closely and saw that they did move, but it was very subtly.

"Smell that ocean air," Kathy said with a sigh, using a previously unseen door handle on one of the windows. As the door opened, a balcony suddenly appeared attached to the suite. "Don't worry," Kathy told Laney at seeing her uneasy expression. "The balcony is always there, there's just an illusion on it so it doesn't break the view."

"Okay…"

"Wow!" Harry bounced onto the balcony to stare down at the beach and ocean. "It stretches forever!"

"Not quite forever," Kathy said fondly. "But it does go on for a while."

"And- are those people on brooms!? Over the water?! That's so awesome! Flying over the water!"

"Magical private beach. The only non-magicals that can find this place are the ones that already know it's here.

"Look at that huge sandcastle!" Harry pointed at it excitedly. "Look at that! Oz! People are actually going inside!"

"Ah. That's a beach café."

"Can we visit!?"

"Of course. Sometime while we're here."

"Awesome!"

"Hey, Kath?" Suntree peered around the door. "The rest of us are going to set up in the two rooms to either side if you need us."

"Okay."

"The air smells awesome!" Harry called out from the balcony.

Suntree chuckled. "That it does, Jamie."

"Jamie, don't lean over the railing like that," Laney called out sharply.

"Aww, Mom. There's spells all over it. I couldn't fall if I wanted to."

"Jamie Featheridge!"

"Okay, okay," Harry muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Mom!"

"Come inside and help unpack."

"I'll help. Let him stare for a while." Kathy came back into the bedroom. "Might keep him from begging us to take him down there the very second we're unpacked."

* * *

Harry stared in wide-eyed wonder as the group headed into the dining room located a floor below the lobby. The floor and three of the four walls were made of glass. Beyond the glass fish and other curious things swam and the clear water seemed to be standing still.

"Are we…?"

"In the ocean, yes," Suntree answered Harry, settling into his seat. "Sit down, Jamie."

Harry sat slowly, almost missing the chair as he continued to gaze at the far wall.

"The east side of the hotel extends out over the water," Suntree continued. "Two of the floors are located mostly or completely underwater."

"Perfectly safe of course," Kathy added for Laney's benefit.

Harry continued to stare. "So awesome…"

* * *

"You sure you don't mind sharing this with the rest of us?" Cam asked as they watched Harry bounce around the room excitedly, obviously impatient for everyone to finish getting ready to go to Disney.

"Not at all." Laney gave Cam an amused look, stifling a yawn. "If you guys weren't here, I'd have to keep up with Jamie all by myself. And seeing as how we're getting dragged out of bed at dawn," Laney cast a sour look in Harry's direction but he was too excited to notice, "there's no way I could keep up with him by myself today."

Cam snickered. "Ah. It all becomes clear. Very devious, this plan of yours. I see where Jamie gets it."

Laney rolled her eyes. "We're taking another Portkey to the park, aren't we?" Laney asked after a few moments, sighing a little.

"Yep. Don't worry; we've got plenty of stomach-settling potions."

Harry went to press his face against the glass doors of their room, grinning as the balcony appeared and disappeared as he moved one hand a little closer to the invisible handle and then a little farther away.

* * *

"I'm done in." Laney fell backwards on the bed. "Never. Moving. Again."

Harry climbed up beside her with a giggle. "Mom."

"Never."

"Guess you're going to miss the beach tomorrow, huh?"

"Though I might feel better by tomorrow."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I bet."

"Never moving again tonight."

"Kathy, Mom's being silly."

Kathy gave him a look from where she was collapsed in a chair. "I completely agree with her."

"But we took tons of breaks today! Like ten or something!"

Laney groaned. "Only three more days, Laney," she muttered to herself. "Think of the beach. Think of the shopping."

"Knock, knock." Suntree came into the bedroom with an amused look. "Just wondering if anyone's up for a late dinner."

"I'm sleeping, go away," Laney muttered. "Disney World has stolen my will to move."

Harry shook his head with a sigh. "Mom's being silly."

"How the heck are you still on your feet, Sunny?" Kathy asked, giving him a half glare.

"It's a gift."

"Come on, Mom, you gotta get up." Harry bounced on the bed several times. "Foood!"

"Go with Sunny. You don't need me there to eat."

"Mooom!"

"Come on, Jame." Suntree motioned him over. "So far the only other person up for it is Tony."

Harry rolled his eyes and bounced off the bed, adjusting his Mickey Mouse ears as he followed Suntree from the room.

"Did you enjoy Disney?"

"It was fun! And those magical shops were awesome! The little cartoon figures that really walk and talk are so neat! And those huge glasses with the color changing lenses! You look kind of weird in purple, did you know that?"

"I do now."

"And wow! Those huge lollipops that keep changing flavor! And the bite sized candy apples! Those were so cool!"

"Did you like the rides?"

"Oh, yeah, they were pretty awesome. But, you know…"

"Can't quite beat a broom for thrills?"

"Yeah!" Harry gave Suntree a bright smile. "I mean, they were fun. Tons of fun. Awesome cool. But just for sheer excitement… they were mostly just okay. Some of them were better than others, but…"

"I know what you mean."

Tony gave them a raised eyebrow look as they approached, his own Mickey Mouse ears at a jaunty angle atop his head. "Just the Jamie?"

"Rar! I am the Jamie!" He dashed over to Tony. Tony picked him up effortlessly with a chuckle.

"Everyone else is too exhausted to go out," Suntree explained.

"Hey, more food for me," Tony said with a shrug.

"How d'you figure that?" Harry adjusted his own Mickey Mouse ears so they were jaunty like Tony's. "Not like we're gonna order food for them even though they aren't there."

"Yeah, but your mom won't look at me funny for ordering a lot of food."

Harry giggled.

"And we can sneak the Jamie some dessert."

Harry giggled again. "Rar!"

* * *

"So how did the bodyguard thing go?" Laney asked, digging her toes into the sand as she watched Suntree and Harry splash each other in the ocean.

Tony sat down on the towel beside hers, muttering a spell that brushed the sand from his skin and off the towel. "Pretty good. Really good. Mind you, Disney is any bodyguard's nightmare. You just can't control that sort of environment. But the beauty of it was that the chance of him being recognized there was nearly non-existent. So it was also a dream dry run. We had to work in a potentially high stress place, but didn't actually have the stress."

"So things went well?"

He nodded as he muttered another charm and then pulled his shirt off to begin to rub sunscreen on. Laney glanced over at him several times before looking fixedly off toward the water. "I'm actually really impressed with Jamie. He's a lot more disciplined than I expected him to be. He's taking this very seriously, even though he doesn't have a real reason to yet. It's not really real to him, being important."

"He's a sharp kid."

"He is."

Cam came jogging up. "Hey, there's a bunch of us going to play a game of Quodvol. Wanna join in?"

Laney gave her a look. "Knowing magical people, I fear to even ask. But… what's Quodvol?"

"Well, like, you know how in Quodpot, the Quod explodes after a while? This is like that, but it's a volley ball kind of thing, and when it explodes it's like a water balloon."

"I see. No, I think not today."

"Tony the Tiger-?"

"I'm not a tiger," Tony interrupted dryly.

Cam grinned. "You up for it?"

"I'll pass."

"Spoilsports." She pouted and jogged off.

Laney sighed a little. "I can't believe she's wearing that."

"That's modest compared to what some of these other women are wearing," Tony said with amusement, looking around. "She looks like she's wearing a one piece bathing suit with the middle cut out. Some of these other women…"

"I'm just glad Jamie's so young," Laney muttered. "A couple more years and he'll be right smack in the middle of puberty and this is the last place I'd want to take him."

Tony chuckled. "The young men are dressed a little more respectably."

"And thank goodness for that. I don't want him taking away any weird ideas about appropriate beach wear being the equivalent to a handful of cloth and some string."

Tony gave her a very amused look.

"What?"

"Nothing, Lane."

She looked out at the water again. Off to the far right, she could just make out Al in his electric orange swim shorts riding on something like looked like a surfboard crossed with a windboard. He wasn't riding any waves, just skimming at high speed along the surface of the water. "What are those called again?" she sighed.

"Seaboard."

"I can't believe I agreed to let Jamie try that later."

"As Suntree pointed out: it's safer than a windboard."

"I'm aware. I'm not reassured."

"_I_ can't believe Al's wearing those shorts."

Laney snickered. "_I_ can't believe he thinks he's a lady's man."

Tony shook his head with a grin. "Bless his little delusional heart."

* * *

"You look like you have a bit of a sunburn. Come here; let me put some lotion on you."

"Lane." Kathy tossed over a bottle of magical ointment. "This will clear it up quick."

"Thanks." Laney sat Harry down and started to rub it onto his back. "You have fun today at the beach?"

"It. Was. Awesome!" Harry gave a little bounce. "The sand just got everywhere, but once Tony taught me that way cool charm, it was just awesome. And that sand castle café, way awesome! I mean, we sat at tables made of _sand_! Isn't that just the coolest ever? And the seaboard- awesome! Just awesome!"

Laney laughed.

"And Sunny wants to take me out diving tomorrow, Mom! Can I?! Can I please?! Please, Mom?!"

"Don't see why not."

"Yes!"

"But I want to talk to him first, of course."

"Yes!"

"And…" Laney trailed off at a tap on the suite door. Kathy got up to answer it and came back trailed by Al, still wearing the electric orange swim trunks with a lime green T-shirt. Laney just shook her head and sighed.

"Al, you look goofy. You totally don't match," Harry told him with an eye roll.

"Fine, see if I invite you out tomorrow."

"Out?" Harry perked up. "Out where? Where we going?"

"If your mom will let you."

"Mom totally will. Won't you, Mom? Please, Mom? Please? You're the best, Mom. Bestest ever. Can I go out? Please? Most awesome Mom ever? Please?"

"Where are you going?"

"There's a windboard competition tomorrow afternoon I'd like to take him to."

"Oh… so totally awesome! Mom! Please?!"

"Sunny said he'd go with us after diving. I think Tony will come along, too."

"Mom! Totally awesome!"

"Us girls could have a girls' day tomorrow," Kathy suggested. "And we'll spend the last day seeing some sights and being all touristy."

"Mom! Totally awesome!"

"Oh, all right."

"Mom!" Harry twisted around to hug her tightly. "Totally awesome!"

"You'd better believe it."

* * *

"That. Is. Totally. Awesome." Harry wriggled in his seat, making Tony chuckle.

"You know… this is rather like skateboarding in the sky," Suntree remarked from the bleacher row below them. "But on longer boards."

"Don't analyze it, man," Al said, eyes glued to the air. "Jamie, look at Nine." He pointed to a man to the far right doing tricks. "That's a double howser. And ooh! Seven has a sweet triple twist flip."

"Wow…"

"I think Three's wearing a Turtles T-shirt," Tony commented, holding out a pair of omnioculars. Harry grabbed them eagerly. After a quick demonstration on how to work them he was eagerly pressing them against his glasses to spot the Turtle shirt.

"He is! Awesome!"

"Completely," Al agreed.

"I so want to learn how to do that."

"You will, kid. Your mom can't say 'no' forever."

"Wanna bet? She's got a spoon."


	22. Chapter 22

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: I own the USAS and Sunny and Tony and Al and Cam and that's enough for me!

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Because I got so many nice ones last time, here you go, about four or five days before I had planned on posting! So yes, the more reviews the faster I post. Because reviews make me happy, happy, happy, squeaking joy happy. Really. And that motivates me.

Review Responses: Yay! New thing I'm doing. No more review response summary things here. Instead, review responses as necessary on the group AND for the current chapter up I'll have much, much shortened bare bones responses up in my profile. This is for those of you who might want to ask questions, but don't want to have to join the group to see my response. So go respond! Spread your reviewer butterfly wings and fly free!

AN: Britpicker. I'm thinking where I'm writing ahead that I'm maybe… eight chapters away from having to stop, give or take. This makes me sad.

AN2: EDITS! First two chapters heavily edited. Same stuff, but there's tighter writing with a few more details here and there. Don't have to reread, just letting you know. Also, I've gone through and updated the format for all previous chapters, as well as mayhaps tweaked a word or two here and there.

AN3: Randomly, for anyone interested, I have an original short story up on my fanfic group. It's a strange little parody'ish retelling of "The Three Little Pigs"

BETAS: Megan, Jynx67, Silveredred and Madam Whitbrook. Thanks!

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 22

* * *

"How was your trip to Disney and all that?"

"Terry!" Harry jumped off the couch to give him a tight hug.

"Look at you! You must be two or three inches taller."

Harry grinned up at him. "Well, I am growing up. And my trip was so awesome!" Harry tugged him over to the couch, summoning the remote from the table to turn off the television and then tossing it back on the table again. Terry stared at it as it slowed, seemed to hit a cushioning charm, and then the cushioning charm deflated until the remote was sitting innocently on the table.

"What…?"

Harry grinned even more. "I've been experimenting with spells. It's eminent impact activated," he said proudly. "The charm's on the remote."

"Interesting." Terry gave him an amused look. "I bet it took you longer to think up that name than to actually figure out the charms for it."

Harry gave him a narrow-eyed look. "I admit nothing."

"Mmhm."

"But my trip!" Harry set off into an excited babble.

* * *

Al came into the kitchen by way of the back door and gave Harry a wink when no one else was looking. Harry bit down into his sandwich to stop from grinning. Those winks always meant some sort of great mischief was afoot.

"So, Laney-"

"Uh oh," Laney muttered, putting down her own sandwich and looking up as Al settled across from her at the table.

"So, Laney, as you know, Jamie's air training has been turned over to me. As the flying expert of this group of misfits and all that."

Harry giggled.

"That introduction fills me with dread," Laney said slowly.

"And I noticed that there's a clearing just inside the woods that's still on your considerable lot of land here-"

"Oh boy," Laney muttered.

"And I think a standard size-"

"Oh boy."

"Flying pitch would fit just perfectly in there."

"Oh boy." Laney shook her head.

"And since we're going to step up his training on a broom and we'll start teaching him more advanced flying soon, it'll be a good way to ensure he keeps up with it."

Laney sighed and shook her head as if to clear it, sitting back.

"Absolutely supervised at all times," Al assured, giving Harry a firm look. Harry nodded eagerly.

"Like finding supervision will be hard," Laney muttered. "It's not like there isn't someone with a wand around almost all the time."

"Still, just saying."

She sighed again as Harry gave her big, pleading, puppy dog eyes. "How can I say no to that? Fine, yes, arrange it, whatever."

Harry got up to give her an 'eee-ing' hug. "Mom's the bestest ever!"

* * *

"Oww…"

"All right there, kid?"

"Oww…" Harry sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. "What the hell did you just do?"

Al grinned at him from the other side of the room. He was still standing the way he'd been before they started the session, arms crossed and weight resting on his back leg, casual as can be. "It's called sound casting. Neat, ain't it?"

"The hell is that?"

"One of my specialties. Remember my air element leaning? That I have slight control over air-based magic? That means any spell I use that involves air, like a percussion spell or a wind spell, can be strengthened and enhanced. And I've developed a way to get the power of a clearly spoken spell with the element of surprise that comes with a non-verbal spell. I can use clicks, whistles and other noises to propel a spell powerfully and accurately through the air."

"So… that jaunty little whistle you were doing as we were eyeing each other, that was you setting up a jinx and then slamming me with it?" Harry asked in something vaguely like disbelief.

"That would be correct."

"Fucking hell…"

"Tsk, tsk, language. You look more irritated than frustrated. Keep that mouth clean."

Harry gave him a look.

Al grinned. "But it's neat, ain't it?"

"Damn- gah! Darn it! That means any sound you make during a fight could potentially be carrying a spell!"

Al laughed. "That would be correct."

Harry scowled at him. "I don't like you anymore. You don't play nice."

"There's an up side of this, kid. It'll teach you to pay more attention to the way spells bend magic, light and the air around them, helping you learn to recognize spells based on how they feel, look and how fast they travel. That'll be an invaluable skill, even if you never run into someone who can twist sound into magic like I can. It's not something every person who has a connection to air would be able to do. The connection tends to be unique to each person with some shared traits, but no guarantee how it'll come out in the end."

Harry sighed. "And just when I thought I was improving…"

"That's the problem with life, hey? Just when you've reached a level of skill, you have to go to the next level and you're back where you started."

Harry gave him a flat look. "Joy."

* * *

"Al, stop!"

"What?"

"It's that preview." Cam snatched the remote from him and held it protectively, sighing happily at the television screen.

"Oh, that preview." Al rolled his eyes.

Harry glanced up from his photo album and snickered a little before turning back to putting his Disney trip pictures into order.

"Haven't you seen this movie already?" Al asked Cam.

"Shh. Yes. Shh."

"This Swayze guy isn't all that great."

"You're just jealous. Quiet."

"Jealous?" Al rolled his eyes. "Well, I know I'm sure jealous that he's all over Demi Moore. She's a-"

"Jamie," Cam interrupted sternly, giving Al a pointed look that said 'so help you God, if you finish that with Jamie in the room…'.

"Pretty," Al said lamely. "She's very pretty. That's all I was going to say. Don't you think she's pretty, Jamie?"

"He's nine; leave the kid out of it."

"Almost ten," Harry muttered, head bent over the photo album, but studying the television screen through his lashes.

"So? Isn't she pretty?"

Harry shrugged. "She's nice. I don't know. I'm ten."

"See," Cam said triumphantly. "Ten. Girls have cooties."

Al snorted. "One day, kid."

Harry made a noncommittal noise.

"Dreamy," Cam sighed, focused once again on the television as the preview drew to a close.

Harry focused back to his photo album, biting his lip a little as he realized that he kind of agreed more with Cam than Al.

* * *

"Just how does this Animagus thing work over here?" Laney asked, watching from the back porch as Harry and his teacher sat meditating on the grass.

"There's more than one way of achieving it." John tossed down a couple of cards and drew a few more from the pile. A queen scowled at him as he shuffled his hand into order. "True to form, Jamie is going about it by one of the easiest and hardest methods. Meditation to learn the core of yourself and your magic, trances to search within yourself and find the spirit that lives within, more meditation to reflect on what you find, more trances, over and over."

"But how does that work?"

"Magic." He grinned at Laney's flat stare. "No, though, what the Magurists do is try to appeal to magic, asking the magic to show them the way to what they call their animal soul. So all the trances are their way of letting the magic guide them, and the meditation is to help them find the clear and solid path. It's more mystical than a lot of other Animagus practices. The usual methods involve the use of potions and hard transfiguration study and charms and other things."

"And that really works? This Magurist approach?"

"Taken at face value? Who knows. But if nothing else, they've tapped into a way to find that magic inside them and awaken it."

"And I still can't believe you can have more than one…"

"It is possible, but it's incredibly hard. The processes that allow that are only found in tribal magic. A lot of large magical societies look down on tribal magic as being inferior, and so they pass over a lot of what might be gained. Even in America, in a lot of good, public-"

"Meaning free attendance for whoever wants to go, right?"

"Yes, sorry. It's different over there. I forget. Yes."

"Go on."

"Just saying, even in a lot of our really good and very excellent public schools, they don't mention tribal magic except in passing. And in the just average schools it might not get mentioned at all."

Laney considered that. "But how? I mean, how is it possible at all? Aside from the fact it's only possible with tribal magic."

"Because no personality, character, self, soul, whatever term you want to use, no personality is so narrow and static that it can be defined by one narrow set of characteristics. In most cases. It's true that some people find it almost impossible to connect to another animal self inside of them because they put so much value on one set of characteristics, or they refuse to acknowledge characteristics that are almost as strong because they don't like what it says about them. And if you don't move past the next strongest, you can't unlock any others that might be there."

Laney nodded as she tossed away three cards and picked up three more. "I wish these face cards would stop making those faces."

"You get used to them."

Laney made a face back at the card before she shuffled it behind another.

"Make no mistake, a lot of people get stuck with just the one Animagus form, no matter how much potential they have and how strongly they believe they have more. The problem is that once you unlock the first, most definite animal self, you have to study harder to find another, you have to spend more time in meditation and in trance to feel it, and you have to almost fight with the first animal form because it won't want to ease up enough for you to feel another animal self. Unlocking each successive form is almost twice as hard as the one before it because of the presence and connection you have to the others."

"But it's not impossible."

"No. Most Aurors, point in fact, average three. Well, the average is between two and four, with two or three being a little more common. Some people have more than four, and there are a few rare Aurors that have none. But you'd better believe it's a skill that's pounded into you when you go into training."

"Does that mean you have an Animagus form, or more than one?" Laney asked, glancing between the still meditating forms and John.

"It means I did. Technically I still do. But this curse in my leg interferes too much with the transformation."

"What did you have?"

"My first was an owl. My second was a dog. Bit of a mutt, really."

Laney laughed. "So you're a bit of a mutt, really?"

"S'pose I am." John grinned. "As Al says, we're all just a big bunch of misfits. Jamie's misfits and oddballs. I fit right in with them."

Laney looked back to where Harry was still in meditation. "I wonder what Jamie will be…?"

* * *

"Did you see the way he just dived down like that?! Did you?! Oz! I thought he was sure to smack right down face first! Sunny?! What's that move again?!"

"Wronski Feint." Suntree began to flip through a Magical Scientist magazine.

"Can I try it?! Can I?! I know I can do it! Can I try it?!"

"Ask your mother."

"Aww! But it was so awesome! And Merlin! Did you see the way that Keeper hung upside down to grab that quaffle?! So zonkin'! I am so going to learn how to do that! Will you teach me, Sunny?! Will you?! Can I learn that, too?!"

"Ask your mother."

"And that roll! That the Seeker did! So awesome! He was just flat on that broom and bam, spiral roll! What was that called?!"

"Barrel roll."

"Zonkin' awesome! Can I learn that?! I bet I could do it! Can I?!"

"Ask your mother."

"Are you even paying attention to me, Suntree?" Harry asked severely, crossing his arms and stamping a foot.

"Unfortunately." Suntree turned the magazine sideways to look at a chart.

"Suntree," Harry whined, putting his hands on his hips and stamping his foot again.

"Zonkin' awesome, try it, learn it, can do, wanna do, woo." Suntree turned the magazine around again and continued flipping. "I'm paying attention."

Harry huffed. "I'm gonna go find Cammy." He stuck out his tongue at Suntree and sulked out of the room.

Laney peered out of the laundry room a handful of moments later. "He gone yet?"

"Thank you, Laney, for hiding in the laundry room and leaving me to listen to that. Again."

"Thought you'd appreciate that." She came into the room and settled at the table with an amused sound. "Whose idea was it to take him to that Finchie game?"

"Fitchburg Finches game, Laney. It's Quidditch."

"I'm well aware of what Quidditch is. It's your weird Quodpoddy stuff that makes no sense."

"Quodpot."

"That's what I said."

"Woman, you're messing it up to irritate me. You fail to realize, somehow, that I'm not Al."

"Dang."

"Happy to spoil your fun. Always here for you."

"Whose idea was it again, anyway?"

"Al. Of course."

"It's been a week." Laney rubbed her forehead. "And he's still babbling about it."

"What's really going to be bothersome is his birthday party next week. You know there's nothing anyone else will get him that'll come close to going to that Quidditch game."

"There better not be. I don't think I could take more babbling of this magnitude."

"And just think, in barely a month he'll be babbling non-stop about magic classes."

Laney sighed.

* * *

Harry sat on a bench outside the classroom, swinging his legs silently and listening to the quiet voices in the room. He could just barely make out some of the conversation here and there, with Suntree's measured, calm voice being the easiest to understand.

"Yes, Ma'am. The gifted student we've been discussing is Harry Potter."

A gasp. "In my class?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Really?"

"He's a ten year old boy," Laney said a little severely.

A light touch on Harry's shoulder made him gasp and he gave a start to see Tony sitting beside him. He had been at the other end of the hallway the last Harry had seen, half hidden in the shadows, looking strangely sharp and angled. In the normal light of the hall, Tony looked as average and plain as ever.

Tony lifted a finger to his lips and stood, beckoning Harry to follow. Harry shook the weird impression out of his mind and cast a look to the door where the quiet conversation was happening before he slid off the bench and followed Tony quietly down the hall.

"No need to listen to them talk about that," Tony told him, taking Harry's hand in his and leading him away from the classroom. "Sunny and your mom will get it sorted out. And if your new teacher can't handle things, there are others in the area. You already need to travel a little for classes."

Harry nodded.

"Interesting, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

"A hallway in a perfectly normal school that no one else notices, teaching magic classes after school gets out. Quidditch and Quodpot posters on the walls, moving career posters with Aurors, teachers, warders, curse breakers, healers in the orientation room, a miniature dragon model prowling the transfiguration room."

"Yeah. Is all of magical America like this? Just sort of tucked away in non-magical places?"

"A lot of it, yes. We have a lot of little villages, even a couple of actual all-magical towns, but most of the time we have our places tucked away beside and around non-magical places."

Harry nodded and gave a small twitch when they passed from the magical hall into the normal school hallway. It was like walking through a spider web, barely felt and yet undeniable and lingering. At Tony's curious look, Harry shrugged and told him that.

"Interesting. But you already knew you could sense magic. The more you push yourself and try unusual, hard things, the more sensitive it'll probably get."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It's not a bad thing, wildcat. It's just whatever you make of it."

"Whatever I make of it?"

"Yes. Life is whatever you make of it. And I think so far you're making very good choices."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely. I think you made a good choice about your fame. You're right. You can't escape it and you shouldn't try, but you don't have to let it dictate your life. Not your words exactly, granted, but you're right. You're a kid, and you also happen to be famous and that won't change. You just have to try and live as both. Don't go out of your way to avoid being Harry Potter, but don't go out of your way to try and be Harry Potter. Just be you."

"Whatever me is."

"Not a lot of adults know what 'me' is. If you figure it out, let some of us know, why don't you? We could use the help."

Harry laughed and hugged Tony's side.


	23. Chapter 23

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Warning & Story Info: Found in previous chapters.

Reviews: Reviews equal motivation equal lots more Jamie.

Review Responses: Temp file on Ygroup keeping up as they come in on most recent posted chapter. Previous chapter abridged responses found in ffnet profile. Previous chapters' responses on Ygroup.

Betas: Megan, Jynx67, Silveredred and Madam Whitbrook. Thanks!

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 23

* * *

"Jamie?"

Harry looked up eagerly from his homework. "Yes?"

"Wow. That desperate for an interruption?"

"Yes!"

Suntree came over to peer down at the homework. It was magical theory in nature, but it was immediately obvious why Harry had responded so quickly. "Well then. You've been taking the magical classes almost two weeks, haven't you?"

"Yeah." Harry rolled his eyes. "As if you didn't know that."

"Mm. Looks like it's not quite advanced enough for you. The teacher certainly made it sound like it would be."

"Well, it's not," Harry said a little huffily.

Suntree chuckled. "Come on, I need to take you somewhere. We can talk after we get there. And yes, I've checked with Laney."

"Awesome. Let me grab my shoes." He couldn't scramble away from the table fast enough to do that. "Mom!"

"What?"

"Going out with Sun!"

"I'm aware."

Harry followed Suntree into the backyard. Suntree produced a smiley face pencil that Harry knew had to be a Portkey. "Where we going?" he asked curiously, reaching out towards it but not quite touching.

"You'll see when we get there." Suntree pulled the pencil away for a moment. "But I'm afraid you're going to have to go by Harry Potter where we're going."

"Huh?"

"I'll still call you Jamie, but you're going to get a temporary ID card and it'll have Harry Potter on it." Suntree paused a moment. "We're going somewhere official. Don't worry, you shouldn't have to deal with widespread boggling or newspaper coverage or anything," he added with amusement.

Harry shrugged and grasped the end of the pencil. Immediately, the hook grabbed him and pulled him along. The journey took longer than usual, and there were several hard jerks that told Harry they were passing through some serious wards, and then they were standing in an alcove off of a nice lobby. As Harry gazed around, he was reminded strongly of an upscale bank.

Suntree led the way to a long counter located at the back of the room, moving around several large potted plants and past a large couch. Harry was so busy studying the colorful, abstract floor tiles that he almost didn't notice the shield with the crossed wand and gun emblem that was both on the wall behind the counter and on the front of the counter itself.

"Is this the USAS headquarters?" Harry asked quietly, giving Suntree a slightly wide-eyed look.

Suntree nodded. "We need your help with something. I'll explain once we're out of the public section."

They passed the counter, Suntree nodding to the man and woman working behind it. Their destination was a second counter, smaller and half tucked away in something like an alcove. There were several potted trees that nearly blocked the view of the counter. Beyond it, between the counter and a plain metal door with no handle, there was something that looked quite like a metal detector crossed with an automatic car wash machine. Harry stared at it in bemusement.

"Charles," Suntree greeted, coming to a stop beside the counter, his hand resting on Harry's shoulder. "The kid's in the system."

Charles gave Harry a once over before he stood and ambled around the counter, stopping on the opposite side of the machine. He pressed a few things on the machine before giving them a nod, watching through half-lidded eyes.

"Do what I do," Suntree told Harry as he walked forward into the machine. He stopped between the wide beams and a faint shimmer surrounded him, like waves of heat coming off of hot pavement. Suntree settled with his hands in his pockets, waiting with serene patience. After a dozen seconds or so, the machine made a soft chiming sound and the shimmer faded. Suntree walked out of it and turned to look at Harry, jerking his head to beckon Harry through.

Harry eyed the machine with curiosity as he stepped through. Once he'd reached the center, he felt a hum of gentle magic wrapping around him, stopping him from walking any further. Not so much freezing him in position as making it feel like he was in thick molasses. Another hum of magic began to sweep over his skin, the first in a series of magical sweeps, all of them like the feeling of cobwebs tickling his skin. He tried to hold still, but couldn't stop from tiny little shifts, biting his lips to keep from giggling at the more ticklish brushes. He was relieved to hear the chime, as if from a distance, and Harry stumbled out once the magic released him, rubbing his prickling arms.

"Tickles," he muttered at Suntree's raised brow.

Charles stared at him. "The hell…"

"Naughty language," Harry said automatically. At Charles' weird look he felt a moment of embarrassment before just crossing his arms and giving the man a pointed look.

After another moment of staring, Charles turned his attention to the side of the machine where there was a television screen showing scattered images in fuzzy black and white. The man was studying them with purpose, but to Harry it didn't make sense.

"So, let's see, we have…" Charles' weird look came back. "A handful of Legos, a couple of Q-tips, a piece of string, a piece of bubble gum, a paperclip and a pencil…" He looked to Harry. "You keep all that in your pockets?"

Harry gave the screen another look, now that he knew what it was. "Huh. Oh, sure." He grinned at the man. "I'm training to be MacGyver. But shh, don't tell anyone."

He continued to give Harry a weird look.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You obviously don't have kids."

"No, no I don't."

"Don't worry," Harry assured cheerfully. "I'm perfectly abnormal."

Suntree chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"Right, well… here's the temporary badge." Something that looked like a driver's license dropped out of a slot below the screen and Charles put a clip on it, studying it almost absently as he started to hand it over before he faltered and froze. He looked up from the card slowly, giving Harry a strange, wide-eyed look. "Harry… Potter?"

"Oooh, ahhh, Harry Potter." Harry grinned at him. "With Ninja Turtles on my shoes and Q-tips in my pocket."

Charles stared at him blankly for so long that Harry was beginning to wonder what was wrong, then Charles mouth twitched with amusement and he snorted, handing the card to Suntree. Suntree moved to clip it to Harry's shirt, pinching the cloth between his thumb and forefinger.

"Oh no, don't do that," Harry said, covering his shirt protectively. "It'll leave a weird mark when I take it off. And that's not even mentioning that it'll pull my shirt up in a weird puffy, foldy way, and-"

"Got it, kid." Suntree straightened up and held it out to Charles. "Got a neckband?"

Charles replaced the clip with what looked like a whistle cord, raising his brows slightly as he handed the card back to Suntree. As Suntree put it around Harry's neck, Harry wondered why the man hadn't just handed it to him.

"There. Better?"

Harry examined it. "Uh huh." He turned the card around. It had the USAS badge in the background, like a ghostly image behind everything else. Half of the card was taken up by Harry's grinning face, the other half had his name on it in capital letters – HARRY J. POTTER – and his height, Suntree's name under 'visitor of', the date and time, a string of odd symbols and then a long number code followed by what looked like two long barcodes overlapping at right angles.

"Huh…"

"Does it meet with your approval?" Suntree asked with amusement.

"Hm… it'll do."

"Then let's go." Suntree led him over to the door. "Swipe your card here."

Harry swiped the card along the square of white beside the door, but nothing happened until Suntree pressed his hand against the center of the door and a door handle appeared in the appropriate place. Harry followed Suntree through the door with much interest, fingering the card around his neck and reflecting that it looked nothing like a badge.

Beyond the door was a hallway lined with more doors stretching off in either direction. The only things to break the monotony of the long hallway were other hallways. Harry followed after Suntree, looking this way and that for the interesting things he was sure had to be lurking around some nearby corner. He was a little disappointed by how normal and office-building-like everything was. The people they passed were by and large just as disappointing.

Some were wearing more causal khakis and various colored polo shirts sporting a patch of the USAS badge over the left breast, others were in clothes that looked like the camouflage that the military wore, but in dark blue, and others still were in uniforms that were quite like the typical police officer uniform with wand holsters and guns. There were a handful of people wearing business-like clothes and some in everyday jeans and shirts.

"Not everyone has to wear a uniform?" Harry asked, watching a woman walk by in a wildly colored print skirt.

"If they're active field agents on duty they do. Though if they're just here doing paperwork on duty they can wear whatever they like as long as they have a uniform on hand should they need it. A lot of the non-uniforms you see, though, are people who come in during their time off to make use of some of the facilities here – gym, pool, the garden of restaurants – or to catch up on paperwork. Some people are also coming off duty or will be on duty shortly. And then there're the others that are important enough to the USAS that they can pretty much get away with wearing whatever they want out of the public eye."

"Oh."

"Mmhm."

After a few minutes Harry stopped to stare at a woman walking by. She was trying to read and walk at the same time and not having much success with either. And she was wearing smiley-face pajamas.

"I don't know," Suntree answered before Harry could ask.

"Okay…"

"Come on, down here."

Harry noticed that most of the people they passed gave Suntree nods and random greetings, but no one tried to stop him. For his part, Suntree was walking in a quick, measured way that made it look like he had Business-To-Be-Getting-To. Harry tried to copy the Business-To-Be-Getting-To walk.

"This place is kind of boring," Harry remarked after a few minutes, giving up on the Business-To-Be-Getting-To walk. He settled on half skipping in a way he rather thought of as a Fun-Things-To-Be-Done walk.

"What were you expecting?" Suntree asked.

"I dunno. Action, adventure, stuff, you know."

"We get enough of that outside of the USAS walls; we don't need it inside."

"I mean, you people could be, like, accountants or something…"

A sudden 'Mwahahahahahaha!' came from down a side hall just behind them. Harry stopped to stare, then turned around a little slowly to give Suntree a wide-eyed look. "Oookay… so you're evil accountants. That's kind of cool."

"There is so much awesome in my heart, I can't possibly express it all."

Harry stuck out his tongue and stared back over his shoulder again for a moment before hurrying after Suntree.

They didn't go much further before they veered off down another hallway and around a sudden turn. Suntree stopped in front of another door with no handle and swiped his badge, then motioned for Harry to do the same. Harry watched with interest as a number pad appeared beside the door and Suntree punched something in.

"Okay, high security evil accountants," Harry amended, following Suntree through the door and down another unremarkable hallway. "But these hallways are so completely boring."

"We tried to get the cavernous doom and deep mystery when it went on sale, but someone got to it before us."

"Darn."

"Mmhm, yes, totally."

"But, Suntree, seriously, why am I here? Not that this field trip isn't completely awesome, and boring hallways aside, or heck, maybe even included, a fantastic and fabulous break from the doldrums of my homework- what?" he asked, seeing a strange look on Suntree's face.

"Nothing; go on."

"Seriously, totally, why am I here? Why?"

Suntree considered him. "Is your homework really that bad?"

"Come on, Sun, I learned that stuff when I was, like, _two_. Okay, not really, but, like, really ages ago. I don't know which is worse: the fact that I'm so bored, or the fact that this stuff is really _work_ for everyone else in the class."

"You haven't learned anything new in that class?"

"Some stuff. Here and there. It happens occasionally. But my brain is being liquefied by the boring."

"How tragic."

"I'm being completely serious, man. Suntree. And don't think I didn't notice you changing the subject when I asked what we were doing here. But since my woe of school is more important at the moment, I'm letting it go."

"How kind."

"Suntree, really, school, awful."

"I'll talk with John," Suntree told him. "And your mom. We'll see if we can figure something out. You said you like spending time with the other kids?"

"Yeah, that's pretty cool. They haven't figured me out yet, either. The 'Harry Thing'. And it's nice not feeling out of place age-wise, even if I am ability-wise at this point. Everyone else is ten and eleven, too. But Sunny… my brain is so bored it cries."

Suntree snorted. "We'll work it out. We don't want you to get bored; you do weird things when you get bored."

"Do not."

"Charming all your shoes-"

"La la la la la la."

Suntree gave him a look. "Yes, I heard about that."

"But you have got to admit that was some awesome magic work, yeah?" Harry grinned up at him. "Yeah? Come on, admit it. I made all my shoes dance in step. That's awesome. Isn't that awesome? It's completely awesome."

"It's awesome," Suntree told him mildly.

"Woo!"

"Yes, woo."

"So what are we doing here? Huh? Huh, huh, huh?"

Suntree snorted. "You'll see."

"Suuunny."

"Oh yes, hearing my name whined like that - guaranteed to open the floodgates of all information you seek."

"Come on, Sunny, I'm your favoritest."

Suntree raised a brow at him. "Favoritest what?"

"Just, you know, your favoritest in general. Like the most super awesome favorite beyond all everything… favorite kind of person thing… I'm your favoritest."

"I see."

"So see? You gotta tell me."

"I need you to talk to a snake."

"See, not hard at all- oooh. Really? Why? What's going on?"

"Really, yes. And she won't eat and they can't figure out why."

"Ooh, snake psychology. This will be _fun_." Harry skipped along a few steps. "Hey, why do you guys got snakes anyway?"

"There's a Dangerous Materials section under Laboratory Operations. We house a lot of unusual and deadly creatures there, snakes included. Some of the creatures we pick up from suspects, people smuggling them or using them in poisons, potions, as outright weapons, etcetera-"

"Oooh, scary snake weapons," Harry said, trying not to grin at the look Suntree was giving him. "Right, sorry, go on."

"Hm… Well, some of them are picked up by special teams that track down creatures before they can be harmful, harmed or spotted by someone non-magical. We house those if there's not a trustworthy organization that can care for the creatures and keep them safe. And of course we keep some creatures to milk for venom, blood, hair clippings and other things for the use in potions, rituals and other necessary things.

"Got it! See? That wasn't so hard."

"Mm."

The rest of the walk was spent in the kind of silence that can only be achieved when one person is humming just barely under their breath the entire time.

* * *

"Is that really safe?" one of the snake handlers murmured nervously to Suntree, watching Harry. Harry was sitting in one of the snake enclosures, a poisonous snake twice his size draped over his shoulders and across his lap.

"It's cool, Chuck." Another snake handler came over with a grin. "That's what you get for taking a three week vacation. Kid's been here every week while you've been gone. Those snakes love that kid."

"Parselmouth." Suntree glanced up from the papers spread out on his makeshift table, checking on Harry, over to the snake handlers, back to Harry and down to his paperwork. "You should talk to him when he's done. It's quite fascinating to hear him explain snake language, identity, culture, even magic. Just make sure to let him know if he's hissing at you instead of speaking. He's trying to get a feel for when he's using Parseltongue and when he isn't. He says it sounds just like English to him unless he really concentrates."

Chuck crossed his arms. "Huh."

"He comes every Wednesday after school, so you don't have to ambush him today." Suntree glanced up at Harry, studied him, then looked back to his paperwork.

"All I know is I'm damn glad to see that kid. I put in a recommendation to give that kid consultant status. He's the only one that can calm Sherla down, and that's sure as hell a relief when you got a temperamental snake that can paralyze with a single bite."

Chuck gaped at the other man. "You let him deal with Sherla?"

"Calm down. At this point Sherla throws a fit of epic proportions if she doesn't get her weekly visit with him. Epic. Seriously."

"Jamie says that according to her, aside from her, he's the most intelligent creature in the room," Suntree remarked absently. "Meaning the other snakes. And according to her, the damned thumpers aren't much better."

"Thumpers?"

The other snake handler shrugged. "Kid says that's what she calls us: thumpers. On account of us stumbling around on two legs instead of slithering about like any sensible creature."

"A highly opinionated snake." Suntree glanced up at Harry again. He was climbing like a monkey out of the snake pit while the wildly patterned snake stayed calmly coiled up, making none of its typical escape attempts. "They get along quite well."

"Mr. Andrew." Harry stopped in front of the snake handlers, an odd, smiling expression on his face. "Thehthelami says that he'll let you milk him if you give him a rabbit."

"A rabbit, huh?"

Harry nodded. "And he says to stop giving him conjured water. It tastes yuck."

* * *

"Still mind numbingly bored with magical classes?" John asked as he watched Harry working on an Arithmancy spell chart.

"Yeah. That's one way to put it. I occasionally learn something new in Charms, but for the most part… boooring. Okay, sure, the Latin and magical culture classes on Friday are kind of interesting, sometimes, on occasion, but I know a lot of that stuff, too."

"I think we've worked out a way to keep your interest."

Harry perked up. "Oh?"

"Yes. We're going to be getting upcoming lesson plans from the teacher and Suntree and I will go over them. If there's something there you haven't learned in a lesson with us, you'll attend that class. We'll also go over the plans with you in case there's something you'd like to be there for even if you've learned it already. Sound good?"

"Totally!" Harry grinned widely. "Totally great! You're the best! I would so totally get up and hug you right now if I didn't have, like, papers and crap everywhere."

John rolled his eyes. "I'll consider myself hugged. And thank Al, too. It was his idea."

"Al is the most rockin' ever. Ever, ever."

John chuckled. "Now get back to mapping that spell's Arithmantic sequence."

Harry snorted. "Yes sir!"

* * *

"You know… there're sure a lot of people in the hallways these days when I come to visit the snakies," Harry remarked as he skipped along beside Suntree. "And they always want to stop and say 'hi' to you. You're pretty popular."

"They want to meet you," Suntree snorted with some amusement. "Word's spreading you come through here a lot."

"Ohhh. That'd explain it. Sorry, Sun."

"Sorry?"

"I'm stealing your popular."

Suntree snorted again. "I'll live."

"So, like, the Harry Thing is spreading? Cuz-"

"Because," Suntree corrected.

"-_Cuz_most of them don't seem very 'ooh, ahh' and stuff."

"I imagine that some of it's the Harry Thing, and some of it has to do with the fact you visit the Laboratory Operations area, and very few people actually know where you're going and why you're going there. It's a pretty restricted area. Regular visits by a kid are definitely unusual."

"Really?"

"What are you really-ing-ing-ing…?"

Harry grinned. "Those evil 'ing's run away with you?"

"Quiet, child. What was the 'really' for?"

"Just, you know, really in general."

"Then yes, really."

"And I have no clue what we were just talking about now," Harry said cheerfully.

"Ooh, ahh, Harry Potter, ooh, ahh, kid visiting the LO area, ooh ahh, unusual."

"That's right! Yep. Totally awesome, as per usual."

"You know… I can show you around the other areas if we leave LO early."

"Cool!"

"And… next Wednesday we'll even come early so you can see some of the Auror trainees doing mock duels, if you like."

"If I like? That's even more way cool than the most awesome way cool thing ever!"

* * *

"So… how did Jamie end up with another set of lessons on Friday?" Laney asked dryly.

"By being Jamie," Suntree answered just as dryly. "I took him around headquarters and he met one of our mind magic experts, Charles Hanter. They started talking about Occlumency and Legilimency and Jamie did what Jamie does and he impressed the hell out of Charles. They started talking theory, Charles offered lessons, Jamie gave me the Pleading Look."

"So you said 'yes' to him."

"No. I said 'yes pending your final decision'. It's not in my job description to deal with puppy dog eyes."

"Uh huh." Laney gave him a look that wasn't one bit impressed. "Which is a yes. Because I can't say no. That doesn't look good. He's practically running up the walls from pure happiness." Laney narrowed her eyes. "Unless that's sugar."

"That's not sugar, "Suntree told her mildly. "That's happiness. And that he is. And it's entirely possible he might very well literally be running up the walls at this point, depending on what he's learned in the last week."

"Isn't he busy enough?" Laney asked, ignoring Suntree's musing, though she seemed to wince a little. "Everything he's got going on already, and he just started soccer again, and I just know he's going to get wrapped up in some other after school activity or sports program before October is over. He needs time to be a kid and have fun."

"Laney, I'll admit that Jamie is a little weird at times-"

"There are monkeys in my socks!" Harry yelled from upstairs. "I cannot go near them!"

Suntree stared at the ceiling for a moment before looking back to Laney. She just raised a brow slightly.

"Okay, he's rather weird almost all the time," Suntree corrected. "But I think it's safe to say that he's normal as far as puppy dog eyes go. Kids don't use puppy dog eyes begging for more chores or homework. They use puppy dog eyes to get treats. Jamie obviously thinks more lessons will be fun. So I said yes pending your final decision on the matter."

Laney eyed him.

"Smite me not with your spoon, oh great one."

"Fine. You get away with it. This time. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go deal with sock monkeys."

* * *

"Mom," Harry said, face flushed and whispering from breathless excitement. "Mom, you won't believe- it's just so- you have to see this, Mom. Come- see- so awesome." Harry grabbed her hand and started to pull her from her office, down the hall, to the back of the house.

Laney followed along, giving Harry a puzzled once over. "Jamie?"

"Have to see- so amazing- just- have to see…"

Suntree was waiting outside, wearing just a heavy long-sleeved shirt despite the nippy mid-November air. Laney had to resist the urge to tell him to march inside and put on a jacket. Along with him and wearing jackets were John and Tony, John looking quite pleased and Tony a bit puzzled. Harry's Animagus teacher – Laney tried to recall his name just in case he wanted to talk to her – was sitting calmly on the grass with a serene smile.

"Jame…?"

"Mom…" Harry gave her a glowing smile. "Just watch- so amazing…"

Laney folded her arms over her chest as Harry left her side and went to stand beside his teacher, his eyes closing and a peaceful expression settling on his face. As Laney watched, his body relaxed as he seemed to slip into a serene meditation trance.

She barely noticed how long she stood there watching Harry just stand there, unwavering and almost smiling. She barely noticed when the corners of his mouth lifted up ever so slightly into a mischievous smile. It caught her attention when he rose up on his toes a little, head tipping back as if he were looking up at the sky. He balanced there briefly before giving a little shivery quiver and crouched slowly, fingers flexing as they curled into the grass, and he began to lean forward to settle on his knees, reaching forward-

Laney gave a start as a young, gray coyote appeared where Harry had been. "No way…"

The coyote lifted his head, looked around, and shook himself powerfully before barking three times. The Animagus teacher murmured something that seemed approving. It sent the coyote off on a mad dash around the yard, yipping and making other noises, before abruptly stopping and beginning to chase his tail and just as abruptly stopping, sitting heavily on the ground and panting with an expression that could have only been coyote delight.

"My God," Laney breathed.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Suntree murmured, putting a friendly hand on Laney's shoulder.

"My God…"

The coyote yipped in excitement once again and danced back over to where the Animagus teacher sat and around the man several times, stopping only when the man held up a hand. With visible effort, he calmed himself and repeated the process in reverse until Harry was once more human, a wide, silly grin on his face. He stayed there a moment in his odd crouching position before falling backwards to sprawl on the grass, giggling breathlessly.

Laney shook her head slowly. "My God…"

Harry scrambled to his feet, swaying a little once he was on them, grin still fixed in place. He glanced at everyone, but his attention stayed on Laney, bright and hopeful.

"That was… amazing," Laney murmured, beginning to grin. "Come here." She held out her arms and Harry dashed over to fall into them, beginning to giggle breathlessly again. "So amazing, Jamie. That was so amazing. I am so proud of you," Laney murmured.

"He'll be a bit disorientated after each shift at first," the Animagus teacher was saying in the background. "He should spend some time in the form every day for a couple weeks, but not too much time. When I visit again in two weeks, I'll bring books on coyotes and myths and legends for him to study. It is very necessary to the process. But that is all for today; his lessons are done."

Suntree went to stand with the Animagus teacher, speaking softly.

"Look at you." Laney held Harry at arms length to give him an up and down look. "Look at you. Look at my big boy. Look at you." She crushed him in a hug again.

"Told you, Mom," Harry mumbled into her shirt. "Told you I'd do it younger than anyone else."

"Yes you did, baby. Yes you did. That's my baby."

"I think this calls for a reward," Tony remarked after a glance at Suntree. "Perhaps a real outing to a magical shopping plaza?"

Harry perked up even more as Laney held him at arms length once again to study him, beaming as proudly as if she'd made the change herself. "Really?" Harry asked. "Really, really?"

"Absolutely." Tony nodded.

Harry gave him a bright, pleased look, but still seemed too caught up in the after effects of his change to really shout for joy.

Tony grinned back at him. "Almost seems wrong to call you wildcat now."

"Don't even think about stopping," Harry warned

"Come inside, baby," Laney said, clutching Harry proudly once again.

"Okay, but, just-" Harry pulled away to go grab his teacher in a hug. "Thanks, Troy!"

"It is entirely my pleasure. Now go in, eat something, warm up. I must be going."

Harry hugged the man again, beaming all the more, before dashing back to Laney, half falling into her arms in a hug. She kissed his hair and hugged him tightly.

* * *

"Definitely want to do it like this?" Suntree asked.

"Yes. For, like, the tenth time in the last minute. I don't want to skulk around and hope no one recognizes me," Harry answered, bouncing on his feet with excitement. "I'm not wearing a sign or anything, you know. 'Here be you-know-who'. Wait…" Harry stopped to think about that. "Isn't that what they called Moldy?"

Laney swallowed back a snicker.

"Yes," Suntree answered. "It is."

"Well, whatever. I'm not wearing a sign, okay? I'm just not hiding. I mean, it's not like I have the most recognizable face in the world or anything."

Suntree nudged Harry back into motion. "Technically you have the most recognizable scar in the world, and it just happens to be on your face."

"Pish, posh. Let's go!"

"Remember how this goes?"

"Yes, Suntree," Harry said with an exasperated sigh. "Cam and you will keep up with us, moving through the crowd. The rest of us don't bother you. Tony and Al will walk with me. Mom and Kathy and I walk with them. We walk together basically. We, me and Mom, stay near Tony and Al at all times. I'm not allowed to just run off and look at things. If someone tells me to do something, I do it. If there's trouble, I use my Portkey. Can we go now, please? Please, please, please?"

"Are you comfortable, Laney?" Suntree asked, ignoring Harry.

She shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Just treat it like an outing. Though I have to say it doesn't seem very fair that it won't be much fun for most of you."

"Trust me, we'd rather it be safe than fun," Cam said, unzipping her light jacket. "And besides, we might switch out halfway through the afternoon, depending on how things go."

Laney shook her head. "I'm not sure why we had to Portkey all the way to New England to go shopping, though…"

"If someone spots him, we don't want it to be anywhere near his actual home," Suntree explained.

Laney looked over at him worriedly. "You aren't really expecting any trouble, though, right?"

"No, not at all." Suntree flicked his fingers. His wand slid from his arm holster into his waiting hand. Another flick and the wand slid back up. "I'd rather prepare for a hurricane and get a drizzle, though, than prepare for a drizzle and get a hurricane."

"Boooring. Let's go! Come on! Entrance is right up there." Harry bounced several times on his toes. "Right there. I can practically taste it."

Al dropped an arm around Harry. "When you start tasting magic, let me know."

"I doubt that's going to happen," Harry said dryly, watching Cam and Suntree walk ahead of them to an area of empty wall between two perfectly ordinary decorative pillars.

"Still, be sure to let me know. I've got this bet with myself that magic tastes like peanut butter fudge."

Harry stopped for a second just to devote all of his attention to staring at Al. Al grinned back unrepentantly. "What?" Harry asked. "Peanut butter fudge? What?"

"You two, come on," Kathy called out. "Keep up. Honestly."

"I don't know." Al shrugged, giving Harry a nudge to get them moving again. "Magic just seems peanut butter fudge-like to me."

Harry gave him a look. "Whatever."

"Here we are." Suntree aimed a look at Al and Harry. "Children, please pay attention."

Harry grinned when Al stuck his tongue out at Suntree.

"We're going to enter now," Suntree said, ignoring Al. "Keep alert."

Harry watched closely as Cam and Suntree turned and strolled casually through the wall between the two pillars. Once they'd disappeared, Harry waited impatiently for the 'all clear' signal; it came soon enough in the form of Suntree leaning back through the wall and motioning them forward.

"That's creepy," Laney muttered as part of Suntree's upper body and his head disappeared back through the wall.

Al sobered up and stood up straighter, looking alert and ready as he gave a nod to Harry and strode through the wall. Harry took a slow breath and counted to ten before following, Tony practically on his heels. Harry had barely come through to the other side when Suntree came over, murmuring, "Now Jamie-"

"I know," Harry muttered shortly, glancing around the empty alley-like hallway they were in. "I'll behave, okay?"

A couple of shoppers talking quietly moved past them and through the wall to the non-magical portion of the mall, barely sparing the group a glance. Suntree was silent until after they'd disappeared. He spent the time studying Harry closely. "All right," he said at last. "If you don't listen-"

"I _know_. I heard you the other eight million times, okay? I'm not four. Please?"

Suntree nodded slowly and moved to the mouth of alley, leaning casually against the corner of the building on the right. Cam was nowhere in sight.

Tony touched Harry's back lightly, murmuring, "Over here." He soon had everyone into positions, Al and Tony hovering at the edge of the group, with Kathy, Harry and Laney between them. In the alley-of-sorts they were in there were no mall-like shops lining either side, and the lack of visual distraction helped them get positioned quickly.

"We're definitely ready?" Tony asked.

"Definitely," Harry said with a touch of impatience.

Tony smirked a little and watched Harry fidget for several moments before giving a little nod and motioning them forward. Laney hesitated, looking a little keyed up and nervous, but Harry all but dashed ahead, snagging Tony's hand and dragging him along to the end of the alley. He stopped short there, staring all around at the wide open space around them.

Harry fuzzily remembered the trip when he'd gotten his wand. He vaguely recalled a shopping area that was pretty much a straight line of shops lining a central, large street. He definitely remembered the hallway lined with shops that had led to the main area and the fact there seemed to be other such portal-like hallways throughout the area. This shopping center had taken a decidedly different approach.

The room itself was more rounded instead of square, and shops lined the curved walls, all squeezed together in chains only broken by hallways that led to various portals in and out. The center of the room was equally filled with shops, but instead of curved or straight rows, they were in clusters of four or five, back to side to back haphazardly.

"Wow." Laney shook her head slowly. "This is…"

"Wonderful," Harry breathed.

"Really weird is what I'm thinking. Why on earth…?"

"New age mystical architecture or something," Tony said with a shrug. "Or maybe the financial backer had a really strange sense of humor. Who knows?"

"So awesome…" Harry gave Tony a pleading look. "Can we explore? Can we? Can we?"

"Of course. That's why we're here."

Harry eagerly pointed at a sign almost directly across from them. It looked like an old wooden sign, darkened with age, rough and worn. It read: Queedle's – only the finest since 1874. Above it was a second sign, this one a cauldron with real bubbles floating above it and a large vial being tipped over and back over the cauldron. "Can we go to the apothecary?" Harry asked eagerly.

"You and your potions," Al sighed with a sort of weary fondness. Harry took that as permission and happily dragged Tony to the apothecary.

It was quiet inside the store, and just bright enough to see everything clearly without causing problems for some of the more delicate ingredients and ready-made potions. Even so, there were areas near the back of the store that were in shadows and other sections that were lit very brightly.

Harry stood just inside, staring in delight at everything around, until Al gave him a nudge. Harry freed his hand from Tony's to grab one of the wooden baskets sitting in a stack by the door and he excitedly began to inspect the neat rows of ingredients in the front half of the shop, ignoring the wall shelves stocked with ready-made potions, ointments and pastes.

"Of course potions agree with him," Laney muttered from where she hovered near the door. "He's a boy. A shop full of wiggling things and eyeballs in jars and bubbling ooze is right at the top of the coolest things ever."

Harry sniggered as he inspected a bottle of nillywig wings. He looked around thoughtfully for Tony but didn't see him. He glanced back to the bottle. "Hey, Tony?"

"Yes?"

Harry gave a start at the voice coming from right beside him, almost dropping the bottle. He aimed a glare at Tony once he was sure of his grip on the bottle. "Where did you come from?!"

"Just down the aisle. I'm easy to miss."

"…You're six foot one, how is that easy to miss?"

"It just is. What's up, kid?"

Harry glared a little while longer, then switched to a weird, considering look. After a few more moments he held up the bottle. "Is it just me or do these seem flaky?"

Tony studied the bottle. "A bit flaky. Good for crushing and crumbling, but they wouldn't do any good if you needed whole wings."

"Hm." Harry put it into his basket. "More potions call for them crushed, crumbled or powdered."

Tony shrugged.

Harry continued to browse, studying everything with great interest and picking up a few things here and there to buy. He went up and down each aisle carefully, and then doubled back to look at a few things a little more closely, comparing jars and studying their contents under a magnifying spell. Tony trailed after him patiently until Harry took almost ten minutes to compare two jars of beetle eyes.

"Time to go." He took the jars, putting one in the basket and setting the other on the shelf. "We do have plenty of other things to see today."

Harry pouted for a few seconds before giving up, seeing Tony not paying the least bit of attention to him as he nudged Harry towards the counter. Tony took the basket and laid everything out, exchanging greetings with the shopkeeper. He pulled out a plastic card to pay, sliding it over a black square beside the register, and Harry snagged it as Tony tried to tuck it back into his pocket.

"Come on." Tony dropped a hand to Harry's shoulder, guiding him to the door where the others were still waiting.

"This…" Harry turned the card around and then over again. It looked like a credit card in all ways except one: the name kept wavering, shifting between Laney Featheridge and Jamie Featheridge.

"Gringott's bank card," Tony explained as he handed the store bags to Kathy and Kathy tucked them away into a bag she had slung over her shoulder. "Looks like a credit card, works like a credit card, but in the magical world it has various uses and it's pretty secure. Only authorized users imprinted on the card can actually make it respond."

Harry nodded as he studied the card. "And this is… Mom's card?"

"Your card," Laney told him, ruffling his hair as they stepped out of the shop and out of the way. "My account, my authorization and everything. But technically it's your card."

"Why is the picture background flowers?" Harry asked with an odd look, glancing around.

"Don't look at me," Tony said quickly. "Ask your mother."

Harry looked at Laney.

"Suntree picked it out." Laney's lips lifted up in a faint smile. "He seemed to think you'd like it."

Harry rolled his eyes.

Tony took the card and tucked it away. "It works in the non-magical world, like I said. And let me tell you, the goblins don't like having to deal so much with the non-magical world. They've had to update decades of practice that just doesn't work over here, add in all the bells and whistles-"

"Like what?" Harry asked

"Like interest and checking accounts and various forms of personalized service. Some magical places still accept the whole bag of coins thing, though nearly every magical place accepts non-magical money and other forms of non-magical payment. I thought Sunny explained all of this?"

"Yeah… but MacGyver was on at the time…"

"You and MacGyver."

"Yeah… Ooh! Can we go over there?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Sure."

With great excitement, Harry began to steadily work his way through the shops around the apothecary.

Familiars & Pets was much larger inside than it looked outside, spanning several rooms. It had all of the pets Harry would have expected to see in a non-magical pet store, and then some, magical and not. He wanted one of everything, especially the little balls of fluff with their big eyes and sweet chirps. But then he'd gotten too close to their cage and they'd revealed long, sharp fangs and he decided after that he was content with just looking. Al had to drag him out of the reptile room, a room Laney wouldn't even go anywhere near, and Harry had to drag Al away from the birds when he started to teach the parrots to say naughty things while Laney was cooing at the kittens.

The Traveler's Choice looked like it should have been a dusty shop, tucked away around a corner somewhere, but it wasn't. It was connected to The Travel Co., but Laney nudged him away from the travel agency – "You have nowhere to be going any time soon, young man" – and put her foot down on getting a ten compartment trunk – "I don't even want to know what you think you'd be putting in there!" – but she let him get a backpack and a small travel bag.

"Look! My backpack holds three times as much stuff as it should!" Harry told Kathy as they were leaving, opening it up and peering inside. "Dude! I bet I could fit in this thing!"

"Please don't," Laney muttered.

"And don't take it to school with you," Kathy added.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I know. But it'll be great to take when I go with Suntree on Wednesdays and Fridays! Sometimes Sunny has to go do other stuff before we leave and I do homework in one of the libraries."

Kathy laughed. "As I understand it, you also get homework help from anyone who happens to be around."

"But not if they look busy."

"I don't think that's a problem," Kathy said lightly. "From what I hear, the library is suddenly a very popular place on Wednesdays and Fridays."

"Yeah. Ooh, look!"

Papryus gave Harry just the opportunity to fill his new backpack with notebooks that corrected spelling, pens that erased cleanly, pencils that sharpened themselves, erasers that absorbed letters instead of rubbing them out and other charmed papers and writing supplies.

"I can't imagine writing with a quill," Harry said with a giggle after trying one. But he bought one anyway, a peacock quill, and an empty glass ink bottle to put on his desk to go with it. "So I look sophisticated and stuff."

"That might be more convincing if you'd left off the 'stuff'. And didn't giggle quite so much," Laney said with amusement as they left Papryus.

Harry giggled again. "But, hey, is it just me or is the name of that place misspelled?"

"Nope. The owner of the store is Callen Papryus," Al said with a grin. "My family knows a family that knows his family. It's a great big joke, apparently."

Harry rolled his eyes. With a tug on Tony's hand to drag him along, Harry backtracked to a kiosk in the middle of the thoroughfare. It was a brightly colored booth with a wide umbrella top and tassels sporting small clock faces hanging down the sides. In fact, the entire kiosk was covered in clock faces attached to watches and clocks of all kinds, and they all seemed to be set differently.

There were wristwatches, pocket watches, necklaces, bracelets, rings and even earrings with clock faces attached. There were wall clocks, table clocks and even grandfather clocks, standing tall and strange in the open middle of the kiosk. Clock faces were set into books, lamps, potted plants and even statues of animals – as Harry studied the animals a dog clock sat up and barked out the striking two o'clock hour. There were even clocks set into other clocks, and a clock that kept unfolding itself into three other clocks.

Not even half of them told the time, as far as Harry could tell. Harry saw some with letters strewn all across the face, some with hands that weren't straight but instead bounced around the inside of the clock to point to strange figures, some with moons and stars and some with flowers opening and closing in no recognizable pattern. He recognized some clocks set with runes and others with basic Arithmancy symbols on them, but he didn't recognize a lot of other symbols and charts.

"Whoa…"

"Like what you see, little boy?" a man asked, coming over. His voice started quietly on the first word and steadily rose until he was almost shouting the last, and when he leaned in, eyes large behind a pair of gold glasses and looking entirely bizarre wearing a large purple top hat with a watch on it, Harry leaned away from him. "I have some exciting watches with dinosaurs, little boy!"

"I'm not interested," Harry told him coldly.

Tony's hand fell onto Harry's shoulder. Harry gave a tiny start, but it was nothing compared to the man's wild scramble back. Harry was glad Tony's magically appearing trick caught other people off balance, too.

"I would, however, like to see that Carmichael Arithmancy watch," Harry continued, making it as clear as he could in the tone of his voice that it had better not have any dinosaurs on it.

"The Arithmancy watch?" the man asked. "Well, little boy, it's a sensitive magical instrument. I really think you'd get more use from-"

"The Carmichael Arithmancy watch," Harry interrupted sternly.

In the end, Tony simply picked the watch up and handed it to Harry. Harry found that despite the man being irritating and rather dumb – calling him "little boy", honestly! – his watches really were quality products. He walked away with the Arithmancy watch, a rune watch and a stars position pocket watch, and left behind a very bemused salesman.

They found Laney several kiosks down studying a collection of charmed and otherwise bewitched jewelry. Harry snuck under her arm to settle against her side to study the jewelry with interest.

"Hey, squirt."

"Mom."

"Claims to protect the wearer from mosquito bites," Laney said with a laugh, holding up a clunky looking bracelet.

"And that it does," the highly stylish woman manning the kiosk said from the other side of it. "Highly effective."

"How's it work?" Harry asked curiously.

"It's charmed to emit bug repelling magic all around it."

Harry waited to see if there was more. "Okay. That's sort of obvious, ma'am. How does it do that?"

The woman studied him thoughtfully with strange orange eyes. "It's based on Charimani's Like-Aversion principle."

Harry turned that around in his mind. "Oh." He looked at the big, gaudy bracelet. "Ohhh. Awesome!"

Laney hastily put the bracelet down. "Anything that makes you say awesome in that tone of voice is something that I don't want."

Al reached between them with a quirk of a smile. "You mean to tell me there're dead bugs inside this thing?"

Laney groaned and smacked him with her purse. "Al!"

"What?"

Harry giggled.

"You- ugh." Laney began searching through her purse for some wet wipes. "And I was just touching that thing. Ugh."

"It's not like you haven't handled dead bugs before, La-" Al looked down cross-eyed at the wooden spoon just under his nose. "You carry that _with_ you?"

"I thought it might be best today. I can see I was right."

"Here you go, Mom." Harry held out the wet wipes. "Shall I take over the spoon menacing?" he asked eagerly.

"Hah, not likely." She tucked the spoon away and made use of the wet wipes.

"And to think, you just- ow!"

Harry smiled innocently at Al. "Did I accidentally on purpose just kick your shin to make you not say something super dumb, Al? I'm so terribly not sorry." Al glared down at him.

"Brooms," Tony interjected with a snort. "Big shop full of them."

"Ooh!" Harry gave a bounce. "Can we?!"

"Come on, let's go look!" Al snagged Harry by the hand and they practically took off running.

Tony chuckled. "Why don't you and Kathy go look at that Body Beautiful shop a couple stores down while we're in there?"

"Good idea. Hey, Kath."

Kathy looked up from the sunglass kiosk across the way, wearing huge, green sunglasses that covered half her face. "Yeah?"

"Body Beautiful, us, boys looking at brooms."

"Sounds good to me."

"And take those ridiculous glasses off."

Tony escorted them as far as the sports shop and then headed inside to find Al and Harry. They were staring in wide-eyed wonder at the newest model of windboard.

"Trust me," Al was saying in a reverent tone. "Riding one is so much better."

"Mom will never let me," Harry said mournfully.

"Sucks."

"Totally."

"Hm." Tony wandered off to look at some enchanted soccer balls. In the spirit of fair play, they were spelled to flash neon green and orange to make it clear they were enchanted practice balls.

Tony let them ogle the windboards and brooms for a while before dragging them out to collect Kathy and Laney, only to wind up spending even more time in Body Beautiful as Harry discovered the joy of tester bottles. He left the store smelling like an exotic garden.

They passed a home and garden store, a tea and coffee shop that Laney and Kathy disappeared into for nearly twenty minutes, a magical optometrist, a hair salon and a store called Crafty Supplies that excited Harry until he saw that it was "just cloth and needles and stuff", though he found the self cutting scissors to be "totally awesome" and tried to buy three pairs.

Harry dragged them away from the outer lying clusters of shops to the middle area again. He stopped, grinning widely, at a magical photo booth and managed to talk everyone into getting pictures with him before he was done.

"I think it's time for something to eat," Kathy announced, glancing at her watch. "And let us poor adults rest our feet."

"I'm still good to go," Al said with a grin.

"Good, you can carry all our bags, then."

"Oi!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's like one enchanted bag, Al, and it's not even heavy."

"But it's got flowers on it!"

With another eye roll, Harry took the bag and slung it over his shoulder to follow them to a little sandwich shop. Harry spent the entirety of the meal stealing everyone's pickles, and Tony ended up eating half of Harry's sandwich.

They started exploring the shops that ran around the edge of the room once they left the sandwich shop.

Harry wandered into New Age Wonders primarily because the front of the shop was purple. Once inside he studied the beaded, curtained, incensed space with interest. He knew about new age stuff because of John and his explanation on how a lot of magical areas hid behind the façade of something new age, but he'd never actually seen a new age shop.

There was a big bookshelf in the back with books on meditation, healing, animal spirits, crystals and other interesting things. There were fountains here and there around the store, many of them with mythical figures and creatures that waved and splashed and lazed about in the water. Harry avoided the wall of incense and candles because it smelled funny. As he was studying the displays of crystals hanging from chains from the ceiling and under the glass counter at the front, the shopkeeper approached with a vague smile.

"Your aura looks a little misty, my dear."

Harry looked up at her with curiosity. "Oh?"

"Oh yes. You should consider doing something about that. We have some wonderful balancing crystals."

"I'm all right. But thanks."

"The aura is nothing to trifle with, my dear-"

"I know, ma'am. Mine's just fine."

"I do believe you're mistaken-"

"No, not usually," Harry interrupted.

"That's true," Tony called out with amusement, poking at a package of tarot cards. "It's actually kind of annoying how often he's not mistaken."

The woman glanced between them before giving Harry a little smile. "Still, just a little unbalance-"

"I'm quite balanced. Really. Listen, ma'am, I appreciate the fact you're trying to run a business here, all right? And I'll be the first to admit that crystals and incense do have their place in magic. But I'm balanced. I'm studying Magurist magic. I'm aware. I'm balanced. I'm awesome. Now, if you're going to try and sell me a crystal because it looks pretty, that's another thing entirely."

"He really will buy just about anything if it's pretty," Kathy said with amusement.

"Now that," Harry pointed to a large hanging clear quartz crystal, "I will buy because it's pretty."

"You're letting him buy an awful lot today," Kathy murmured once they'd left the store, Harry skipping ahead of them with Tony following at a brisk pace. Harry paused in his skipping just long enough to send a disdainful look at a fortune teller shop.

Laney shrugged. "It's his first chance to really look around a magical market, for one thing. And in no time at all, I know he won't be able to just casually wander around somewhere magical and buy whatever he likes without people talking about it. Though I must say, I'm surprised he hasn't been recognized. Back home, I can't imagine him being able to go anywhere and not being recognized."

"Don't be alarmed, but he's gotten some speculative looks today. Cam and Sunny are keeping an eye on things."

"Huh." Laney glanced around, then did a double take. "What's that Elf Work Agency?"

"Know a lot about elves over here?"

"Not entirely, I'm afraid. I sit in on some of Jamie's lessons, but a lot of them go right over my head."

"Well, our non-magical history had that time of slavery and then the Civil War and slavery freedom and all that. You know about that, right?"

"I'm from Britain, not Mars."

"Well, after slavery ended, but during that period of time where things still weren't all that good, the magical people began to pay attention to things in the magical world, how certain groups were treated and things like that. Then about the time of the civil rights movement, a lot of people began to think it was wrong to have what amounted to slaves, just because they liked to work. It likely would have remained one of those small minority group issues that never went anywhere, but surprisingly enough, or not surprisingly enough, the vampires stepped in to support the Elf Freedom Movement."

Laney stumbled a little. "The _vampires_?"

"You do know that vampires are actually a part of society over here, right? And the level of feral behavior depends on how strong magically they were before they were changed?"

"Yeah, I knew that."

"Well, the ones that can pass for human hold a fair amount of power in the American magical world for various reasons, and they decided to step in on the elves behalf. A lot of people like to think it's because vampires have gone beyond silly squabbles and see all living things as equal. Personally, I know quite a few vampires; I think they did it because they like to fluster the hell out of humans."

Laney laughed.

"So what these freedom groups ended up doing was removing elves from individual households. And that was quite a period of time, make no mistake about that! But they're elves." Kathy shrugged a little. "They're uncomfortable with absolute freedom, even the ones that are getting out of an abusive household. So the compromise is a collective group of agencies that 'own' the elves and send them out to work at various locations. It's sort of like a cross between a temp agency and a cleaning service, I guess."

"Huh. So… the elves feel owned, but they don't have to worry about being mistreated, basically?"

"That exactly."

"That sounds like a good idea, actually."

"Mind, there're still elves owned individually in this country. Some are treated quite well, some just aren't known about, some have been cursed and can't leave a family's service, and there are plenty of other reasons. But there're still groups out there that work with newly freed and reclaimed elves and who are constantly looking to find places that are trying to keep elves enslaved. We, the USAS that is, keep a very close eye on things."

"I'd imagine so."

"Hey!"

Kathy and Laney looked ahead. Harry beckoned them eagerly. He was standing in front of a store, staring with wide-eyed wonder.

Laney's brows rose as she stepped up to the large windows. "Wow."

"Ooh," Kathy said as she came up to the window as well. "I haven't been to a Christmas Tyme in years. Let's go in."

Kathy pushed open the glass double doors. A blast of cold air greeted them as they stepped inside. Just as Laney began to shiver, Tony cast a warming charm on her and she gave him a thankful smile.

"It's snowing inside." Harry poked at a pile of snow off to the side of the snow-cleared path they were on and grinned. "It's really snowing inside!"

"That it is," Laney agreed, ruffling his hair.

The store outside had spanned three entire shops. The store inside was expanded quite significantly, covering more than three shops twice over. Laney couldn't easily make out the back wall of the shop, let alone the side walls. Snow fell gently all over the store, appearing in midair and falling artfully down into piles that never seemed to get bigger and never strayed inside the cobbled paths that were marked by rows of colorful candy canes. Christmas trees twinkled all over the rooms, in all sizes, shapes and even colors.

"So this is magical Christmas?" Laney asked as she followed after Harry. "Real fairies clinging to trees and ornaments that sing?"

Kathy shrugged. "Pretty much, yeah."

Harry stopped to inspect an enchanted magical village. There were little bundled up people walking about, children having snow fights, trees rustling in an invisible wind and lights twinkling in windows as puffs of smoke issued from chimneys and disappeared about a foot above the village.

"I'm noticing a definite lack of Santa."

"That shouldn't be a surprise," Kathy said with a laugh. "I mean, come on. As if we want our children to think a big, fat stranger Flooing to our house in the middle of the night is acceptable behavior. Besides, Santa is wonderful for non-magical children because it's this super magical thing, but it'd be pretty mundane in the magical world."

"Oh, come on." Laney gave her a look. "Flying reindeer pulling a sleigh?"

"We have flying horse races in this country. Reindeer aren't that far removed."

"Getting to every house in the world in one night," Laney pointed out skeptically.

"Well, it helps that it's not night all over the world all at once. And there are forms of magic that affect time. Even that aside, Apparition and Portkeys would make it significantly easier to accomplish in one night than a sleigh would. Just because a sleigh is part of the image, that doesn't mean that part of the myth would hold true."

"And little elves that make… oh."

"Yeah. So, best not to plant the idea that a stranger in the house in the middle of the night is a good thing."

"That kind of sucks. That's such a big part of childhood."

Kathy gave Laney an amused look. "Honey, being able to do magic is better than the illusion of magical things happening when you're a child. That only leads to disappointment later."

"You know, I should have figured that out when Jamie told me at the beginning of the year that he'd figured Santa out because we didn't have a Floo connection up until recently."

Kathy laughed.

They wandered the enchanted paths as Christmas carols, some with very odd word substitutions, played from various trees, ornaments transfigured themselves, tinsel flashed and twinkled, fairies flitted, candles floated and other curious things went on around them.

For once, Laney was the one that made the most purchases and Harry simply rolled his eyes at her as they left the store. Tony swept his wand over Laney to remove the warming charm. Laney noticed that no one did the same for Harry, nor did he seem to do it himself, but he looked quite comfortable despite that.

"His wandless magic really is powerful, isn't?" Laney murmured to Al as Harry pulled Kathy from the group. He stopped to watch a magical magician perform outside of a store called Curiosities & Wonders. At the moment the man had a pair of dogs jump roping.

"Very powerful," Al agreed. "And very precise."

"Hm."

"Ooh! Mom! Look, look! A bookstore!" Harry dashed over to grab Laney's hand and pull her along, though with more restraint than he had approached. The bookstore took up two shop spaces and Laney knew inside would be expanded to the max. She groaned at the thought, then grinned when she heard Al groan beside her.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Abridged review responses for previous chapter in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: The more reviews I get, the more writing I do.

Betas: Megan, Jynx67, Silveredred and Madam Whitbrook. Thanks!

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 24

* * *

"So what do you think?" Suntree murmured. "I know you've only been observing these trainee practices for a few weeks, but they're all first year trainees. Believe us now when we tell you you're near that level?"

Harry nodded, drawing his knees up near his chest, heels resting right at the edge of the bench on which Suntree and he were sitting. He wrapped his arms around his knees, lacing his fingers together.

They were sitting at the far end of a large room. The floor was wall to wall mats, save for the area near the door, the space the size of a small bedroom with benches for observation. There were ten trainees on the mats having mock duels with individual instructors, though the duels were interrupted every few minutes as the instructors corrected and lectured as needed. Harry was fascinated by the process, and by how much it resembled his own lessons.

"At least they're not gawking at me now," Harry whispered cheerfully.

"Don't blame them." Suntree ruffled his hair. "A kid sitting in on these sorts of lessons is unheard of enough, but for that kid to be Harry Potter? I daresay that's edging into gawkville territory, as you so eloquently put it."

"Gasp, shock, not quite horror," Harry said dryly.

"Exactly." Suntree winced slightly as one of the trainees was lifted into the air by a spell, spun head over heels and thrown onto his back several feet away. "That had to hurt."

Harry stifled a giggle against his knees. "You'd think Bronse would learn by now," he muttered. "Even I would know better than to go for Cathryn's left side when it seems undefended. But nooo, he always ends up on his ass."

"Language."

"On his arse."

"Dusting off that lovely accent of yours and using a slightly different word does not automatically make it acceptable."

"Bum."

"There you go."

"Meanie," Harry muttered into his knees.

"I heard that."

"Oh, wow, she's not playing nice anymore." Harry dropped his legs to the floor and scooted to the edge of the bench to watch the action towards the back of the room. "I guess she's tired of him not learning that, too, huh?"

"Guess so."

"Got too much stubborn pride is his problem," Harry decided after a few minutes. "Doesn't know when to just accept he's beat."

"Pot, kettle, black."

"Ha ha."

They watched in silence for a few minutes before Harry stiffened. It was like a sudden electric shock mixed with the uncomfortable feeling of someone staring unblinkingly at you, and Harry reacted to it before he even realized what it was, paranoid from weeks of Al sneaking up on him and hitting him with spells.

Harry tumbled to the floor, hand flinging to the left, an adrenaline charged spell tingling out through his fingertips as he rose into a half crouch, reaching for a wand he wasn't carrying and snagging the wand flying at him through the air with his out flung hand. He'd gripped it, flicked it, dropped to a knee and only then realized where he was. A gasping, choking sound in the sudden silence jerked him out of his shock.

"Oh shit." He twisted the unfamiliar wand to the left and jerked back hard, pulling off the compression curse he'd just thrown at one of the hapless trainees, leaving the man gasping, shaking on the floor. "Oh shit…"

"Jamie?"

Harry started and fell back on his butt, going red in the face as he looked up at Suntree's raised brow expression.

"Status?"

"Wha…?"

Suntree flicked his own wand rather matter-of-factly. "Status? What's your status? How are you?"

"Uh…"

"Hm… Yes, you need to work on your recovery time in an unfamiliar situation."

Harry continued to stare at him blankly, face burning.

Suntree leaned in a little but kept his hands to himself and in sight. "On your feet, child. Did the curse clip you?"

Harry shook his head slowly as he stood. Only once he was on his feet did Suntree reach out carefully to touch Harry's hand, then shift to try to take the wand.

"You can let go now. Yes, thank you." Suntree set the wand aside. "Excellent reaction time," he said, studying Harry intently. "Quicker than mine by just a hair, in fact. Spell work was sloppy, though. I thought we'd gotten you over slamming sheer power out, young man, and had you actually concentrating on finer control?"

"Uh…"

"Another area for improvement, I see. Cheryl?"

One of the instructors gave herself a shake. "Yeah…?"

"I want to talk to you later about your helping us out. You have good control. While Jamie's spell work was acceptable, I'm sure you can see much room for improvement."

Cheryl glanced back and forth between them uncertainly as Harry turned to look at her, wide-eyed. The woman gazed at the trainee Harry had slammed the spell into. Harry's eyes were drawn that way, as well.

The man was sitting up, pale and still slightly shaking, being attended by a composed healer.

"That was actually… pretty damn good, Sunny," Cheryl said at last.

"It could have been better."

"Well, for an adult, yes, but-"

"Excellent," Suntree interrupted. "So you'll be willing to help us?"

"Uh, yeah, sure…"

"I'll talk with you later, then. But for the moment…" Suntree stood, nudging Harry towards the door. "We'll let everyone get back to their practices."

The instructors were just beginning to set their students back to their lessons as the door closed behind Suntree and Harry. Suntree guided Harry just down the hall before he stopped, turning Harry and kneeling down in front of him, eyes searching Harry's face.

"Are you all right, Jamie? I didn't want to make a big deal in there. I knew you wouldn't like that."

Harry lifted a shoulder in the slightest of shrugs.

"Just sinking in then," Suntree murmured, pulling Harry into a hug. "You did absolutely nothing wrong back there, Jamie," Suntree told him firmly. Harry's hands tightened against Suntree's back. "Absolutely nothing wrong. No one's upset, no one's mad, you aren't going to be in any sort of trouble over that. I promise."

"Okay," Harry said in a quiet voice.

"I'm actually so very proud of you right now."

"Proud?"

"You just reacted. That's exactly what we've been trying to make sure you do. And you weren't even on guard for a possible threat, like you'd be if we were out somewhere. I really can't find the words to tell you how very pleased I am."

Harry began to relax in Suntree's embrace. "Really?"

"Absolutely. I'm very, very pleased."

"Yeah… I don't think I thought about it at all. It just sort of happened. I was just reacting until I got his wand, and then it was almost like waking up."

"And that's why we do the same exercises over and over again. Of course, now that I see how well you react, there're more lessons in your future."

Harry snorted against Suntree's shoulder.

"Are you getting snot on me?" Suntree teased softly.

"Nooo."

"But yes," Suntree continued, rubbing Harry's back lightly, "this'll mean more lessons. A conditioned response is important, certainly, but you also need to learn how to evaluate the situation before you react. That's not always possible, of course, but given the way a spell travels through the air, you usually will have time enough to evaluate before you respond."

"Doesn't sound too bad," Harry murmured.

"It's not that easy to do, but I think you'll be fine."

"Okay."

"There he is."

Harry gave a start and pressed into Suntree for a moment before he forced himself to step away just enough. It was the trainee, coming down the hallway with care as a healer looked on with the 'why must you insist on being stupid while I'm trying to do my job' look of healers everywhere.

"Hey kid," he called out, grinning weakly. "That sure was some spell you hit me with in there. Damn! Not even the trainers are throwing them around that hard right now. You sure taught me a lesson, huh? And wandless, too!"

"I'm…sorry?"

"Hey, no." The man gave a hoarse laugh. "Don't apologize. Damned impressive!"

"So… you're all right?" Harry asked a little shyly.

"Yep! Well, my ears are burnin' from the lecture I just got about my faulty shields, but that's hardly your fault. Hey, Dean Ambersal. And you're Harry Potter, I know!"

Harry gave a little nod. "Hi."

"I got to say, kid, you throw one hell of a mean constricting curse. Something to be proud of. And wandless!" He blew out a heavy breath. "I gotta say, kid, when I saw you grab my wand out of the air and point it at me, I just about shi-"

"It's a good thing you didn't," Suntree interrupted. "That would have been a mess."

Harry couldn't help but snigger a little.

"Hey, yeah, sorry about that." The man grinned even more. "Good thing you weren't in the room once I got my breath back then! Would have burned your ears for sure."

Harry bit his lip. "I hear it all anyway. People have a habit of cursing around me."

"Hey, yeah, I can see that. I would!" The man reached out and ruffled Harry's hair. "Keep it up! But I better get back before the healer stuns me and drags me off."

"He would, too," Harry said with a knowing nod.

"Hell yeah!" He turned and headed back towards the impatient healer. "Keep your shorts on, man!"

Suntree settled an arm around Harry with a snort. Harry leaned into him.

"Everything better, Jame?"

"Mmhm."

"Great." He kissed Harry's temple. "You're a good kid."

"I love you, too, Sunny."

"Come on, let's go get some ice cream. I daresay we've both earned it."

* * *

"Hey."

Harry looked up from his book to give Brian a grin. "Hey there."

"You get in trouble with your mom?" Brian asked, sitting down next to Harry and digging into his backpack. He pulled out his math book and flipped it open to the test review.

"Nah. I mean, I really didn't touch the jerk."

Brian grinned. "And that was totally awesome! But I thought for sure you'd get in sooo much trouble when the teachers came over and he was all bloody and stuff."

Harry shrugged. "Mrs. Anderson tried really hard to pin something on me." Harry made a face. "But there were too many people who all said I didn't do anything except move out of the way when he tried to push me around. Not my fault he's a great big oaf who ran headfirst into the side of the fort just because I ducked out of the way."

"Guess Mrs. Anderson is still mad at you for making a big deal about those test questions," Brian said with a laugh.

Harry grumbled. "It was a stupid question. She told us to study the book and then she marked two questions wrong because I didn't parrot back exactly what she'd said in her retarded lecture. I got a B on that test because of her. Of course I made a big deal about it."

"Most of us like getting B's on her tests," Brian put in dryly.

"Well, I don't. I almost never get a B in anything and I'm not about to start for her."

Brian snorted. "So you definitely didn't get in any trouble?"

"Nope. I told my mom that the jerk was being a bully and I told him to knock it off, he got in my face and was looming over me because he's Lurch Jr., and when he decided to try and get tough I just kept out of his reach until he was so frustrated he ended up hurting himself."

"Your mom's cool. My mom would have gotten on my case about not letting the teachers take care of it and how I could have gotten hurt or gotten in lots of trouble or whatever else occurred to her."

Harry snickered a little, holding back comment on how he'd gotten a brief lecture about being careful not to hurt other kids.

"So, definitely not in trouble?"

"Nope. Why?"

"Wanna stay over Friday night? Mom says we can go see a movie and she'll make pancakes in the morning?"

"Sounds good to me."

The warning bell rang and they got up, stuffing their books back into their backpacks.

"Ready for the math test?"

Brian groaned. "No. Bet you are."

Harry grinned and gave Brian a friendly shove. "You'll do fine."

"Easy for you to say," Brian muttered.

* * *

"It's time to introduce you to the sticky room," Tony said solemnly.

"The what?"

"The sticky room." Tony veered off the normal course and ushered Harry down a short hallway, through a door and down a longer hallway, twice needing his ID badge to go beyond a certain point. Harry was all the more intrigued.

"What's the sticky room?"

"You'll see. Cam and Al are waiting there. I think you'll like it."

"I sure won't like it if Cam and Al are waiting there to ambush me," Harry said darkly.

"Paranoid much?"

Harry gave him a look.

"I recall the last time they tried to ambush you that Cam ended up with a black eye and Al was singing soprano curled up on the floor clutching the front of his pants and trying not to cry."

"Serves them right."

"I also recall they haven't tried since."

"Damn straight."

Tony laughed. Just another dozen steps down the hall and Tony turned to a door that required a badge swipe, followed by a number code, and then a muttered unlocking charm once the door handle had appeared.

"Tony, what-"

"Nope."

Harry huffed as Tony pushed the door open, but he stopped silently glaring at Tony once they'd stepped into the room and instead stared in bemusement. They were standing in a small room with plain walls and nothing but a row of chairs set against the wall by the door. It was the large open doorway taking up half of the opposite wall at which Harry was staring at; the very large room beyond that gap was surely the strangest room Harry could ever recall seeing.

It was like someone had taken a perfectly ordinary rectangular room, took a box of huge shapes of all kinds and stuck them all over the room at weird angles. Something that vaguely resembled half of a star jutted out of one of the walls, a strange wavy snake-like shape was looming above from the ceiling and disappearing into a wall, half spheres and pyramids jutted out of the floor like pointy sand dunes… The more Harry searched, the more certain he was that there were more strange shapes on the walls than actual flat walls to be seen.

"Tony, what on earth…?"

Cam suddenly dropped down from somewhere out of sight in the room, startling Harry. She grinned at him, coming over. She was wearing something like a dark green jumpsuit over her regular clothes.

"It's the sticky room!" she called out. "You stick to things!"

"In other words," Tony said with amusement, "the jumpsuit and the walls are charmed to attract each other, to put it simply. Anywhere the suit touches, it'll stick until you pull away. To put it a little less simply, the trick is focus. It's like focusing for wandless magic. You have to focus on wanting to stick to the wall, on wanting only a part of you to stick, on wanting only apart of you to stop sticking, and so forth. It takes a little getting used to, but I don't think you'll have any problem with that."

Harry looked up at Tony with wide eyes. "So, you mean, like, you can… crawl all over the room like _Spiderman_?!"

"Yes, very like."

"Like seriously like Spiderman?! I can be Spiderman?!"

"Yep."

"Awesome!"

"Completely awesome," Tony agreed.

"But, um… I'm a kid, so a big, sticky Spiderman room is just obviously completely and totally and beyond all reason awesome. But I'm not sure I'm seeing the reason you adults have the awesome Spiderman room, so why?"

"Different reasons. It teaches you to see cover in unexpected places, how to move quietly, carefully and with purpose, to be more aware of your body. It's also a good exercise for learning how to attack and defend from odd positions, as a sort of precursor to broom fighting."

Harry considered that. "So… I'm going to be mock dueling in here?"

"Eventually. But today we're only playing."

Al appeared behind Cam, making her start. "Haha!"

"Don't do that!" She shoved him away, only to stumble against him, her jumpsuit sticking to his wherever they touched. "Stop that! I swear to God, Al…"

Al pushed her away with a laugh, took a running leap at a wall and scrambled up to grin down at her from the ceiling. "Come on!"

Cam shook a fist at him, fuming.

"Oh yes," Tony said with a snort. "The suits can stick to each other as well, if you're focused and determined enough."

"Come on, Jamie!" Al waved a hand eagerly, still clinging to the ceiling. "Go grab a jumpsuit!"

"Yes, come on, Jamie," Cam piped in. "You can help me torment Al."

"Jumpsuits are in that wardrobe." Tony pointed to a tall cabinet half hidden behind the door.

"Awesome!"

* * *

Laney stirred her tea, watching Harry's tea stir itself while Harry carefully selected a couple of cookies from a plate Cam had brought earlier.

"How are your magical classes going, sweetie?"

"A lot more fun now. It really helps that I don't have to be there for all of them, just the ones that have something I haven't learned or that're extra interesting."

"How do the other kids feel about you getting to miss out on so many classes?"

Harry shrugged a little. "Before they figured out I was Harry Potter, they were nice to me, but not extremely friendly. Once they figured that out, though, they've been a heck of a lot nicer. And I don't mean that they're being nicer because I'm Harry Potter, though they might be. But I told them that I have a ton of tutors that come in and that's why I only take a few classes. Now they're totally sympathetic, acting like I've got barrels of homework."

"So they haven't acted weird about you being Harry Potter?" Laney put down her tea. "Jamie, the cookies aren't going to change. The same cookies that you've been staring at for the past three minutes will be the same cookies you'll be staring at in three more minutes."

Harry sniffed. "Don't rush the cookie making decisions, Mom." He carefully picked up one of the cookies, put it on his plate and went back to studying. "And yeah, the kids have been really nice about it. They don't gape or stare too much or ask me stupid things or anything like that. They pretty much just treat me normal."

"That's good."

"I gotta be honest, Mom, I think adults are the ones that get the weirdest about it, staring wide-eyed and shaking my hand and watching me like some sort of magical dark-dork-repelling-dust will blow off of me onto them granting them special powers or something equally retarded."

Laney laughed. "It's quite possible that the adults would be more interested. I'm sure once you're more publicly known and recognized that you'll see kids that are doing the same gaping, staring, babbling, adoring and other stuff."

Harry rolled his eyes and carefully selected two more cookies before sitting down. His tea stopped stirring as he sat. "One of the kids in my magical class is from this area, too, and we play soccer together, so his being there helps. He knows me pretty well. He was surprised to learn I was Harry Potter, but that was about it."

"I think I remember meeting him."

Harry nodded as he nibbled on the edge of a cookie. "We're fairly okay friends and he's got a lot of friends, so there's a bunch of kids that just treat me like any other kid most of the time. And it helps that the teacher doesn't ask me to demonstrate stuff or call on me for all the answers. I think maybe Tony had a word with her."

"I think he might have," Laney agreed, a little coolly.

Harry sighed a little, staring into his tea. "Mom…?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you still mad at Tony for getting me a windboard for my birthday?"

Laney's lips thinned. "He should have asked me first."

Harry's shoulders fell a little. "So you're still mad."

"No, sweetie…" Laney sighed a little. "I'm just irritated."

"Is that less mad enough that you won't glare at him every time he tries to visit, so Tony can start hanging out again?" Harry gave her a small hopeful look.

Laney smiled a little, reaching out to rub Harry's arm. "Yes, Jame, that's less mad enough. I'll even admit I kind of overreacted when I yelled at him."

Harry dipped one of his cookies in his tea and then nibbled on the edge of it, not saying anything.

"All right, I did overreact." She picked up her tea again, then put it down. "I'm just so jumpy… I tell myself not to be, but it doesn't really work."

"Jumpy when it looks like someone magical makes a decision that in any way affects me in the slightest that you didn't have absolute say in?"

Laney eyed him. "You make me sound like a tyrant there, kid. Better be careful; I'm the one that pays your allowance."

"That's what you sounded like, Mom," Harry told her with a stubborn set to his jaw. "I could hear you from upstairs."

Laney let out a slow breath, pushing her hands back through her hair. "All right, I'll admit that I could have possibly sounded like that when I was yelling at Tony. I just don't like to see you flying. I don't want you to get hurt. And then he goes out and gets you a _windboard_ of all things."

"You overreacted," Harry murmured to his cookies. "And you yelled at me every time I tried to talk to you about it."

"I didn't yell at you."

"You spoke in a louder than usual voice and weren't happy with me."

Laney reached out to rub his arm again. "I'm sorry, Jame."

"And I've barely seen Tony since and it's _December_, Mom. It's been months."

"I know. I do, I know." She shifted her chair closer, putting an arm around him. "I'm just really overprotective. And… I was wrong in this case. Suntree talked to me about it a few times and he's right. I'm still jumping at shadows, thinking that someone magical is going to decide they can make better decisions about you. And I guess until now…"

"Until now?" Harry asked quietly.

"Until now, Sunny has always been very careful to do exactly as I say, even if he disagrees with me. Cam and Al tend to support Sunny, but not actually say anything on their own, and Terry only rarely gets involved. They'll try to convince me endlessly, but they won't actually do anything. So I guess I've gotten so used to having absolute control of everything that it just… I kind of freaked out, I guess. But even when I'd realized I overreacted, I was still absolutely indignant that he'd do that. To me it seemed ludicrously highhanded and I wasn't having any of that."

"Mom?"

"Like he was going to make the decision anyway, no matter what I thought, because my opinion wasn't his and his was obviously right."

Harry stared at her. "You got all that from Tony giving me a windboard for my birthday?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But a couple of weeks ago Sunny sat me down and had a long talk with me." Laney gave a low laugh, ruffling Harry's hair. "You've got quite the fierce protector in Sunny. He told me if I didn't shut up, sit down and listen to him that he'd hex me."

Harry's eyes widened. "He _what_? No way, not Sunny."

"Yes, Sunny. And that made me sit down, shut up and listen, coming from Sunny."

"What'd he say?"

"Mm, just that I kept seeing strangers from afar trying to run your life, when in reality Tony was being more like an uncle or something, getting a kid a present they know the parents won't like. Sure, it wasn't the right thing to do, but he was being a pest more than anything."

"And this was a couple weeks ago?"

"Yeah, I know what you're going to say. It's about time I let Tony know I won't glare at him if he comes by."

"Damn straight."

Laney gave him a warning look.

"Sorry, Mom."

"I'll let it go, this time. Eat your cookies."

Harry went back to nibbling his forgotten cookies, studying Laney from the corner of his eye. Laney put up with it for a couple of minutes before giving him a half exasperated, questioning look.

"Why would you even jump to the 'I'm right, you're wrong, I'm better' conclusion? It was just a _windboard_, Mom."

"Just- things."

Harry studied her seriously. "Does this have to do with the important people in Britain? The ones that didn't want you to have me?"

Laney gave him a sad smile. "Yes, it does. I suppose it's about time we talked about that, huh?"

"You don't have to."

"No, I've been putting it off long enough. Come on, let's go sit in the living room. You can start a fire."

They gathered up their tea and cookies to move to the living room. Harry hit the waiting logs in the fireplace with a spell, making them crackle and start to burn merrily away as he put down his tea and cookies in favor of snuggling into Laney's side. She dropped an arm around him, cradling her tea in her other hand.

"Well, baby, you see… there's a man in Britain, a very powerful, important wizard, and he's made some decisions about you that I don't agree with. He's not a bad man, exactly, but I think he sometimes pays attention to the bigger picture and ignores the little things. And when the war ended, the bigger picture was Harry Potter, and the little picture was a little boy."

"So what does that mean? And Mom, I'm ten. You don't have to use phrases like 'bad man' and talk to me like I'm six."

She gave him a small smile. "You know that I left the magical world after your parents went into hiding, and I didn't keep in contact with anyone. So after the war ended and all that went with it, I didn't know when it happened. I found out months later, and even when I did, I heard nothing about you, other than the Boy-Who-Lived nonsense. I had every reason to think… You had a godfather that James chose. I had every reason to think he had you when I heard about your parents. But he didn't have you, and that's when I started to look for you."

"My godfather was killed in the war, too?" Harry asked quietly. "Or did he just not want me or something?"

"No, he wasn't killed in the war. He… he might have wanted you, sweetie, if he'd been able to take you. But he went to prison after the war was over. The newspapers said he did something very bad- something quite terrible, very terrible, and they sent him to prison for it. Azkaban. I don't know if you've heard-"

"I have," Harry murmured. "It's one of the more famous magical prisons, guarded by Dementors. What did my godfather do?"

"That's a whole sad story for another day, sweetie. Not today."

"All right."

"So… this other man, this powerful man-" Laney smiled wanly at Harry's pointed look. "Sorry, sweetie. Talk to you like you're an adult, I know."

"Names wouldn't hurt either," Harry said a touch dryly.

"Right. Well, the powerful man I mentioned, his name is Dumbledore. He's a hero of the Wizarding world himself, or at least he is in Britain and surrounding areas. Maybe even in other places, I'm not sure."

"I recognize that name, yeah."

Laney gave him a startled look. "You do?"

"Yeah, sure. He discovered the twelve uses of dragon's blood and is pretty well known for his work in Alchemy with Nicholas Flamel. He seems a brilliant man, from the evidence. He's also the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot over there in Britain, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. And Headmaster of Hogwarts, as if the man doesn't have enough to do."

"How do you know all that?"

"Well, you learn about the dragon blood stuff from a few different areas of study, like Alchemy and Potions and Ritual Magic. And Suntree thinks I ought to be aware of the important figures in the magical world, both here and abroad."

"I see. Well. Do you know his history?"

"Very vaguely. Did a lot of work in Alchemy, skilled in Transfiguration, supports the idea of equality for the children of non-magical people, since that's apparently a bigger issue over there than here. I know he defeated Grindelwald in the mid 1940s; Grindelwald was a dark wizard who thought that magical people should take over the world to make the world a better place, which, quite frankly, is completely laughable. That man had to be completely out of his mind, if you ask me, but then again, most megalomaniacs are."

Laney laughed. "I guess I will have to be more frank about this, if you already know that much." She sighed a little. "Back when he was a younger man, I'm not really sure how old he was exactly, but like you said it was in the mid 1940s, so he was at least in his forties or fifties…"

"When he was a younger man. Got that part."

Laney gave another little laugh. "Yes, Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald and brought peace back to the magical world in that area. So a lot of people look up to him because of that. And they look up to him because he's a powerful man who seems to try his best to do good. He was also- he played a large part in the war against Voldemort. Because of all of that, people expect him to know what's best for them. And for his part, he does step in and help when he must. And he does a lot of good, he does. Never let it be said that he doesn't do a lot of good for people, because he does."

"But you don't like him," Harry remarked. "You almost seem to be trying to convince yourself that he's a good person."

"No. I mean, yes, but no." Laney sighed. "I know he's a good person. No, I don't. I know he _appears_ to be a good person, and I know he does a lot of good things for people, so I guess that'd make him a good person. But I have to remind myself of that. I just personally feel… very negatively about him. I don't like him." She stopped to take a slow drink of tea. Harry summoned a cookie to nibble on, waiting.

"He… convinced my husband to join in the fight against Voldemort, and you know that he's… gone…" Harry banished his cookie back to the table as he burrowed into Laney's side even more. She pulled him close and continued after another few seconds, voice dropping. "And then he put you with Lily's family, even though he must have known she hadn't spoken to them for months before they went into hiding. He had to have known that Lily's sister thought Lily was evil, that magic was evil, that she hated it all. But he put you there, perhaps hoping that they'd come to love you, perhaps deciding that as long as you were safe by the special wards he put up based on them being your family, that your… happiness was a mild concern…"

"How was he supposed to know that, Mom? I mean, were Mom Lily and Dad friends with him?"

"They knew each other fairly well. Your parents were actively involved in the war and Dumbledore was leading the war effort."

"That doesn't really mean, though, that this Dumbledore guy knew how Mom Lily felt about her family. And even if she'd said that she couldn't stand her family and they didn't get along at all, you know, a lot of people say that sort of stuff. I don't want to sound like I'm defending his decision, since it was obviously not in my best interest, but I do have to point out that he probably didn't just magically know what they were like. Like you said, Mom, there was a war going on. I doubt Mom Lily spent a lot of time talking about her family to a man busy leading a war effort."

Laney laughed, then sighed. "That's my clever little boy. But trust me, baby, even if he didn't _know_, he knew something. He wouldn't have designed the wards like he did if he thought otherwise, leaving them open so long, being careful to base them solely on blood and not love from your family…"

"But that doesn't mean too much either. He obviously entertained some hope that they'd come around. Humans are pretty weird, something this guy probably knows by now. They react to death in weird ways. And this Dumbledore guy sounds like might want to believe the best of people."

"Oh baby." She kissed his hair. "They weren't treating you right, baby. I don't want to tell you details, but they weren't treating you right. And even after Dumbledore learned about it, he still felt that you'd be safer there, that he should just have a stern word with the Dursleys, like it'd make a difference…"

"Weren't treating me right how, Mom? I know that… I have some problems… that Dr. Peele still talks to me about… I don't like it when people are angry with me and… I don't like it when people show up late to pick me up and stuff like that… So I can kind of guess… But…"

"Baby… not right now, all right? When you're a little older."

"Mom-"

"No," Laney interrupted a little firmly. "Not right now."

"All right," Harry murmured.

Laney sighed a little and kissed his hair. "I'm just not ready to tell you…"

"I understand."

"But… I just don't understand it. Dumbledore all but begged me the entire time to reconsider, to take you back to the Dursleys. He said he could probably arrange it so I could visit you when you were a little older, but that you needed to be with the Dursleys. But there was just no way…" She kissed his hair again. "So we fought over your custody in non-magical court because that was the only place I had any hope of…"

"So… how did you get me? I mean, if he was so insistent about me going back, practically begging you, well, I know the magical world has ways of dealing with non-magical organizations and things like that…"

"Well, I threatened a lot," she said after a few moments with a shaky half laugh. "I said I'd told people, lots of people, magical people that I knew from before, that I'd recorded everything I found when I took you from the Dursleys, how they were treating you and everything… I told him I'd make it all public if I thought for a second he was influencing things, or that someone else was influencing things… And I made it clear that if he did something to my memory so that I couldn't do anything, or I forgot about you entirely, or anything like that, that I had people who would figure it out and do it for me. I told him a lot of things."

Harry gave her a wide-eyed look.

She gave him a wan smile. "No, I don't think he would have interfered that greatly in things, but I was desperate and terrified and… I wanted to make sure you were happy and safe. I want it so badly, so very badly. You can't even begin to imagine how strongly… I would have done anything, anything at all in my power to protect you. So I did a lot of things, caused a lot of fuss, tried to force the issue. And I don't regret any of it because here you are now…"

Harry gave her a tight hug. She let out an unsteady breath into his hair and was quiet for a while.

"But I- I know everything I did wasn't really much of a threat to him," she continued quietly, voice steadier. "It couldn't have been. Sometimes I suspect that Dumbledore allowed me to take you because deep down he knew you weren't happy there and never could be. He knew that even if he managed to get the Dursleys to treat you better that they'd resent you, and that's no way for a child to grow up. But- I just don't know…"

"Then why do you hate him?"

"I don't really hate him, sweetie. I dislike him, and I'm afraid of him, just a little. But I don't really hate him. Low-magical, squibs, whatever, they have no real power over there. It would have been so easy… But no, baby, I don't hate him."

"He let you have me."

"He did. Sort of. I mean, yes, he let me have you, but he didn't leave us alone. And I wanted for us to just be left alone at the end of everything. I wanted you to grow up without the magical world hanging over our heads, over your head. Or even just peering around corners at us." She smiled a little at Harry's muffled snort. "You see, sweetie, I noticed that we were being watched after a while and it went on for weeks. I realized that he let me have you, but he was keeping a watch on me, a very close watch. It made me angry, and it scared me… so much… So I moved, I snuck away from my own flat and he still found me, and that's why I came over here."

"He couldn't find you over here?"

"He tried. Before we actually moved here, when we were just visiting, he did find us. He spoke to the magical government here and they came to visit me to see what I was doing. I'm… you can't even begin to imagine how terrifying that was. No matter what I did, it seemed like he'd still reach out and affect our lives and that there was nothing I could do about it. I was powerless. And if he was going to watch from afar, I worried that one day he'd decide to do something. Send you back to the Dursleys, maybe; I wouldn't put that past him. Or send you to live with some magical family somewhere. Decide it was time for you to start to learn things or be Harry Potter in public or I don't even know… I don't know what he would've done; I just know he could've done it…"

Harry hugged her tightly, sneaking his free hand into hers and holding it tightly.

"I just worried he'd start to really interfere in our lives, and that even if I still had you, I'd be losing you to whatever it was he decided was best for you," she continued softly, voice heavy with suppressed emotion. "His being able to find us over here, sending a foreign magical government right to my door… it felt like he could do anything, like the magical world was closing in, like I was powerless…"

Harry turned around all the way to climb onto her lap, hugging her close. "It's all right, Mom," Harry whispered, summoning a box of Kleenex from the bathroom. She accepted the crumpled handful he pulled from the box, sniffling a little.

"I know…"

"They protected us, Mom. We're safe."

"I know, baby, I know."

Harry bit his lip, listening to her sniffle quietly. After a little while, he tried awkwardly patting her shoulder, making her laugh a little throatily.

"I'm okay, baby. Thank you." She kissed his temple and pressed her face against his hair; her cheek was damp against his forehead.

"They protected us, Mom," Harry repeated. "We're safe."

"Yes, we are," she agreed softly, shifting him a little. "Oof, you're soon enough going to be too big to sit on my lap."

"Never."

"You will." She kissed his hair and sat up a little, cradling him close. "And you're right, Jame. They did protect us." She laughed a little. "Obviously."

"Yeah…"

"Some people from the USAS, actually. They checked on us at Dumbledore's request; that's when they showed up at my door. He wanted them to make sure I wasn't going to do something rash, like disappear somewhere with you." She laughed again, stroking his hair. "The government here wasn't too impressed with his request-"

"Bet not," Harry muttered.

"I think he, Dumbledore, had the misfortune of talking to someone who had something against him and took his request as more of a gentle demand that America do what he wanted because it was best for you. As I understand it, someone tried to get more of the story from Dumbledore and he wouldn't say much, just that it was in your best interest, and that he was aware of the 'subtleties to the situation' that the US government wouldn't be able to see from 'the outside looking in' position."

Harry snickered a little. "I'm sorry, but that's just ridiculous."

"It's how it happened." Laney pressed a kiss against his hair. "Kathy tells me that magical America is wary of the way the British government sometimes deals with them, like it's a given that they know what's best and that it's a given that the American government will be more than glad to assist in every way." Laney snorted. "Like magical America is a child that's moved away from home, independent but it still ought to listen to its parent."

Harry snickered again, summoning his cookie.

"Kathy says it comes from the fact that there was no real battle or conflict in the American magical world that separated them from the English magical world, not like there was in the non-magical world. There wasn't much interaction between the American magical colonies or towns or whatever and the British and other magical places, but America kept most of the laws and traditions of other places, and there was a sort of implied feeling that the magical people over here still belonged to the community that they came from."

"But they're obviously not now… I mean, America is its own place."

"Yeah. Kathy says that it just sort of happened. The American magical society just started to drift away from the others, different laws were needed, a different way of dealing with the non-magical world was needed. Things just changed so much. The magical people here, I guess they just sort of thought it was obvious that they were different after a certain point, when they had their own government set up, the goblins set up banks with rules and regulations that only applied to America, America started trading with other magical communities without it being a part of an existing trade agreement…

"America just became its own society. But unlike the non-magical world, there was no actual event or conflict or anything that could be said to mark the magical society as gaining a sort of independence from where it came."

"So, like, they know the British government can't really force them to do anything, and probably wouldn't even bother trying or anything, but the American government is still a little wary of anything that sounds like orders?" Harry asked. "Kind of like… they don't want anyone getting the idea that the American government will do just anything they're told?"

"That's the impression I got. I guess because magical people seem to live a fair bit longer than non-magical people, the shift to independence isn't as far removed in magical history as it is in non-magical history."

"Makes sense," Harry said after thinking about it.

"Mmhm."

"So the American government offered to help us move, and they kept people from finding us." Harry considered that. "Did Dumbledore stop trying to find us?"

"Definitely not. But the USAS hid us very well. That's why we changed our names. Dumbledore tried to contact a lot of people over here, but it always went up to the Magical President or the Director of the USAS, and all they'd say is that you're fine, you're safe, and the concern is appreciated, but unneeded. And so they kept us safe."

"I bet Dumbledore didn't like that."

"No, he didn't. Kathy said he was rather peeved, in fact, but I expect he wasn't so much annoyed and angry as worried. I might not like the man, but I've had some time to stop acting out of worry and fear to think about things. I was very, very angry at the magical world when I first moved over here; I hated most of it, to be honest. The magical world had taken my husband, my- my friends, my life as I had known it… It had ill treated me from the very beginning because I'd been born a squib-"

"Trace-magical," Harry murmured. "You know I don't like that word."

"Trace-magical, then, baby. I'd been born without magic right into the middle of a society of magic, and I'd been born into a pureblood family. Not a well known one, but one that was just hanging onto their status by the skin of their teeth, you could say. And a lot of purebloods seem to think a squib is a sign of inferior magical blood getting into the mix, maybe even blood from someone magical with non-magical parents, or even worse, someone without magic at all."

"I hadn't known that. So that makes you… a pureblood, I guess?"

She snorted. "I guess it does technically, magic or no magic. The only thing my family thought about me, though, was that I was a disgrace. As if I could have helped being what I was. I ran away from home just before I turned seventeen and lived with a friend in the non-magical world. My family was more than happy enough to act like I'd never existed."

"Huh… I'd had no idea. But that does explain some of the odd stuff you seem to know."

Laney laughed a little. "I was raised in the environment." She kissed his hair, voice beginning to drop. "So I was very angry with the magical world from a very young age. I fell in love with a wizard despite myself, I was best friends with your mom despite myself, and when my few real ties to the magical world were violently ripped away, I hated the magical world even more. That's how Dumbledore saw me when I was fighting to get you. I think he was probably worried that once I moved away, out of his reach, that I was going to turn you on the magical world."

"So he would have tried to take me away from you if he'd known where we were? Does that mean he'd try to take me away from you now?" Harry asked after a silence, in a small voice that he tried to make sound nonchalant. "Or try to take control? If he had the chance?"

"No, baby, I really don't think he would at this point. Maybe when you were younger, just four or five, he might have thought it a mistake to let me have custody of you now that he couldn't be sure I wasn't poisoning you to the magical world. He might have tried it when you were younger. But now that you're older, no, I really can't see him doing that."

"Oh. I'm glad."

"We're not really hiding from him anymore, sweetie. We're keeping our location quiet because of the fame of the name Harry Potter. Of course," Laney said more lightly, laughing a little, though her voice was still heavy with held back tears, "I'd also rather not deal with Dumbledore showing up on my doorstep one day, so we're not about to tell him where we are."

Harry laughed at the image in his head of Dumbledore showing up on their doorstep, only to be chased away by The Spoon.

"I very much suspect he'll try and send you a letter to go to Hogwarts, the magical school in Britain. One of the only ones, really, that can really be called a school in that area. The only other real options are being home schooled and private tutors."

"Wow… They must not have a very big magical population over there."

"Not too big. Suntree tells me we're most definitely bigger."

"Well, America is a larger country, just in size," Harry mused. "And we do get plenty of people from all over the world moving here, and some of them are magical."

"America isn't as concerned with keeping numbers low to better stay hidden, either," Laney murmured.

"There's that, too," Harry agreed, snuggling back into her.

"So you'll likely get a letter this summer. They start school at eleven over there."

"Really?" Harry asked with interest.

Laney gave a breathy laugh. "They don't do any schooling in magic beforehand, though. In fact, it's a little frowned upon to teach children magic before they go to school. So it amounts to the same."

"Oh."

"Of course, the choice to go there is your own. Entirely your own. I have no intention of not letting you get the letter if he sends it. And if for some reason you decide you want to go there, that's entirely your choice and I entirely support your right to make that choice. It's the school your parents went to, you know. They would have sent you off there, had things been different."

"You think they would want me to go?" he asked quietly.

Laney kissed his hair. "Oh, baby, I don't know," she said after a few moments thought. "I think- no, I know. I know Lily would have wanted you to do what you want to do. She would have wanted you to make the choice that makes you happy, that you feel is best for you."

"And Dad?"

"He would have been disappointed, I think. A little. He was a pureblood, you know, and I'm sure his ancestors attended Hogwarts for years. Perhaps even back to the very founding of the school somewhere around a thousand years ago. But he loved you very much and he still loves you very much and he would want you to be happy just as much as Lily would. So he'd be disappointed, and then proud when you made your own choice and stood by it. He was that kind of man. I didn't like him very much at times, and I'm not going to get into that. I didn't much like anyone in the Wizarding world, especially purebloods. But he was a good man, and a good husband and father, and he loved you and Lily very much."

"I don't think I'd like Britain very much," Harry said after a handful of seconds. "I'd miss all my friends here. And John says you can't do magic outside of school."

"No, you can't."

"I wouldn't like that very much."

She laughed a little. "I'm sure you wouldn't, baby."

"I'd probably get in trouble all the time, even," Harry went on, "when I forgot and did magic. I mean, I have been doing it for years and years."

"A few years, at least," Laney said with another laugh.

"Exactly." Harry pressed into her side.

"I am very, very glad that you have so much love of magic and are so comfortable doing it," Laney told him, kissing his hair. "I tried very hard not to let my disappointment with the magical world show and affect you, baby, and I'm glad that I did because you belong in the magical world. Just because I had to swallow some very bitter pills at the beginning doesn't mean it's always like that. I like it over here, I like the magic system and I like the people we've met so far."

"I'm glad, Mom."

"I'm glad, too, baby."

Harry shifted to give her a tight hug. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, baby."


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Abridged review responses for previous chapter in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: Reviews make author happy, happy author writes and posts more. WIN!

Betas: Megan, Jynx67, Silveredred and Madam Whitbrook. Thanks!

AN: I introduce two new characters in this chapter. I just want to forewarn everyone that one of them is only ever really mentioned again offhand by other people, whereas one of them becomes a bigger part of Harry's life.

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 25

* * *

"So, what do you think?"

"I think it's very, very cold," Harry said with a grin.

"Brat."

"But you love me."

Cam rolled her eyes. "Can't imagine why."

"Hey, you two! You just going to hang around out there all night, or are you going to actually come in?" Tony waved them over.

Harry waved him off. "I'm basking, man," he called back. "Don't ruin the moment."

"Whatever, kid."

"Well, what do you think?" Cam nudged him, though he hardly felt it through the thick jacket.

Harry stared out over the large, frozen lake that had been made home to an ice festival for the last three days of the year. The centerpiece of the entire thing was a whimsical magical castle made of ice, rising high above the fair. Harry could see little dark shapes moving at the top of it; Cam assured him that the dark shapes were people, likely waving down at the ground, moving around or looking up. Near the top of the castle, magical fireworks lit the sky in actual patterns – a shooting star, a figure dancing, a galloping winged-horse – before falling in sparkling, colorful showers that turned into streamers halfway down, curling around the towers and disappearing.

From the little Harry could see through the large crowds of people and tents, to one side of the castle there were intriguing glimpses of figure skating, skating competitions and ice sculpting. Sprawled out in the other direction, around and outward, there was a sea of booths, tents and stands, selling, showing, trading and buying. Shouts, cheers and groans rose from the competition areas, though people didn't linger there too long, and there was a constant movement from one side of the fair to the other, where animated signs, decorations and colorful displays competed for attention.

"I think it's wonderful," Harry said, following Cam out onto the ice. They were stopped at the inside gate and a dour man inspected their shoes for the appropriate ice-gripping charms before waving them on.

Just inside, they turned to the right to catch up with the rest of the group, passing several booths making the most of the cold evening by selling warming charms applied to everything from hats, scarves and mittens to belts, necklaces and earrings.

"You can even go in the castle," Cam told him brightly. "Did I mention that?"

"Only, like, two billion times."

"It's really cool," Cam continued with a bright grin, undeterred.

"It is winter," Harry quipped. "Has to be really cool for this ice stuff to form, you know."

Cam mimed smacking him, shaking her head.

"You totally pointed out that the moving shapes were people waving and stuff. It was only, like, ten minutes ago."

Cam gave him a look.

"Hey, we can visit there, right? We're going to go up into the castle, right? I so want to be able to say I've been inside a castle made of ice."

"I'm sure we'll do that before the night's over," Cam told him with a snort.

Harry and Cam drew even with the rest of the group just as the group was stepping away from a concession booth, everyone sipping warm bottles or mugs of some kind. Tony and Kathy pressed drinks onto them.

"Here, hot chocolate for you. And for Harry, a hot butterbeer."

"I tested it to make sure it was safe," Tony told Harry with a teasing grin.

Harry huffed, holding his drink protectively. "You were just stealing hot butterbeer."

"Maybe."

Harry huffed again. "Well. Thanks. Even if you were stealing my yum."

"Drink it slowly, Jamie," Laney warned, dropping a hand to his shoulder as he walked beside her.

"And enjoy the anonymity while you can, kid," Tony said with a chuckle. "I expect by next summer you won't be able to go anywhere magical and not be recognized within ten minutes."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I think you exaggerate."

Tony raised his brows a little. "Think so?"

"Yeah."

"Fine." Tony shrugged. "Ignore the wisdom of your elders."

"And when you end up in the papers with a fish down your pants and a gallon of macaroni and cheese in your hair, don't say we didn't warn you."

Everyone stopped to stare at Suntree. He continued to sip his tea and used the few seconds' pause to study a booth of thermometers dressed up in winter clothing.

"Right. Sure." Al twirled his finger around his temple with a look at Suntree, mouthing, 'Completely crazy.' A moment later his finger sprouted festive green and red flowers.

"Holy shi-eck. Crud monkey muffins?"

Laney zipped up her purse, eyeing him sternly for a moment.

Once she'd turned away, Al gave his hand a shake, shoving his drink in Tony's direction in order to pull out his wand. His attempt at banishing the flowers only made more appear. With a snort, Cam tried to pluck one and two more appeared in its place. Harry leaned against Laney; he was giggling so hard he could barely stand.

"Frug." He looked over at Suntree. "Hey, Sunny, you're all sorts of not crazy. Help me out?"

"It's so nice to see you getting into the spirit of the holiday, Al," Suntree told him, smiling into his tea.

"Oh, come on- Cam! Stop picking them!"

With a laugh Cam snagged two more before Al hid his hand behind his back in desperation. Cam put the flowers in her hair with an innocent smile and added a couple to Harry's hair with a grin. Harry rolled his eyes as he giggled all the more.

"Come on, this isn't funny," Al muttered, bringing his hand forward again to stare mournfully at his finger.

There was a click, a flash of light, and Al jerked his head up as Kathy took another picture, grinning from behind the camera. "Looking good, Al," she teased, clicking again as he jerked his hand behind his back, biting his tongue on some choice curse words. He sent a desperate look at Suntree.

"I really don't think I can," Suntree said with a sorrowful sigh. "They're bringing everyone far too much joy."

"You know what? You suck. Major bad." Al brought his hand forward again, cupping his other hand around his flowery finger with a glare at everyone. His glare turned into a scowl as he stared at his finger. Harry burst out into fresh peals of laughter.

"Want to see how much you like it?" Al muttered at him.

"Don't even try it, Al." Harry sucked in a breath and straightened up, rolling his eyes. "Give me your wand. Honestly." Harry plucked the wand from Al's hand and, after studying the flowers critically for a handful of moments, gave the wand a twist, twitch, flick and flourish. The flowers disappeared.

"Thanks! You sure had to build up a lot of momentum to reverse that spell."

"Not really. It just looked cool." Harry grinned and tapped Al on the nose with the wand; his nose began to flash red. Al went cross-eyed trying to look down at his nose, groaning under his breath. He groaned even more when there was another click, flash, click, flash.

"You're so photogenic," Kathy teased, swiftly tucking the camera away. "And we have these special moments immortalized for all time now. Isn't that great?"

Al glared.

"We should go check out the small ice sculptures they're selling," Kathy continued brightly. "I got that panda in my study a couple years ago and I've only had to renew the holding charms a handful of times."

"I'm not going anywhere looking like Rudolph," Al grumbled.

"Aw, don't be a spoilsport."

"You know what?" Al grabbed his wand back and jabbed it at Harry. A moment later Harry's hair twinkled like it'd been covered in tiny, brightly colored Christmas lights. "How do you like it, huh?"

"How do I look?" Harry asked Cam with a grin.

"Absolutely lovely."

Harry stuck out his tongue at Al. "I win. But because I love you, and because you're going to buy me that green scarf over there, the one with the silver tassels…" Harry snagged Tony's wand, shoved his butterbeer into Cam's hand and twisted around to tap Al's nose. The color faded slowly, lingering on bright pink just long enough to make Al look worried.

Al eyed the wand that Harry began to tap oh-so-innocently against his other hand and the expectant look on his face. "Right, sounds good," Al told him. "So, what was it you wanted?"

"Ee! Thank you!" Harry hugged him tightly, making Al snort and laugh.

"And then we can look around and check out the ice sculptures," Kathy put in as Al went to the booth in question to buy the scarf, Harry trailing after him. A few moments later Kathy began to head in that direction as well after looking around intently and the rest of the group followed.

"There are a lot of arts and crafts here we should check out," Cam put in with a grin. "Magical and non-magical."

"Quilts and blankets are definitely easy finds," Kathy added. "Handmade things, too."

"I personally rather like the magical chess sets," Suntree remarked.

Tony glanced over. "I wasn't aware you played all that often, Sunny."

"I don't. These aren't regular chess sets; they're works of art in their own right. They're the kinds of sets that you wouldn't want to play. Display sets you put somewhere nice."

"I really can't see the point of those. If I'm going to spend a lot of money on a game, I darn well better be able to play it."

"Ah ha!" Al wound the green tasseled scarf around Harry's neck with a dramatic gesture as the group drew even with where they were.

"What's everyone think?" Harry preened a little, fingering a tassel with delight.

"Looks good on you," Cam told him with a grin. "Goes with your eyes. Green and silver are definitely good colors for you."

Laney muffled a sudden burst of sniggers with her free hand, earning surprised, puzzled looks from the rest of the group.

"What? What's so funny about that?" Al studied Harry before looking back to Laney. "What am I missing?"

"Aside from the usual?" Cam muttered.

"Leave it, Cam." Harry gave her a warning look before looking back to Laney. She was laughing all the harder. "Mom? Hello? Enlighten us as to the source of your mirth."

"That's it, no more afternoons spent with Sunny. You start talking strange like him." Al snagged a green hat from the booth and pulled it down over Harry's head, making him squawk indignantly as it a covered half his face. He pushed it up to glare at Al. Al grinned back unrepentantly.

"I like to think I bring an element of sophistication to Jamie's world," Suntree said mildly.

Al gave him a look. "Excuse you? No. You're the reason we listened to Jamie singing about radioactive rodents for weeks. You have no claim on sophistication."

"'Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters from a Planet Near Mars'!"

Nearly everyone groaned as Harry grinned madly. Laney continued to snigger to herself, though the sniggers were beginning to wind down.

"Okay, you seriously have to share this amusement with the rest of us," Cam told her, nudging her shoulder.

"Nothing, just… thinking about someone's reaction if they heard someone say Jamie looked good in silver and green. It would have been _priceless_."

"And…?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Well, he does." Cam adjusted the hat and scarf just so. "Green and silver were made to look good on Jamie."

Laney started to choke on more laughter. "Oh, mental images, must go over here, away, breathing good…"

The group watched her walk ahead.

"Does that make sense to anyone?" Cam asked at last.

Tony shook his head. "Nope, not at all."

"Moms are weird," Harry decided, checking out the hat and scarf in a mirror on the booth.

"So, anyway, I think some of the artwork here would be worth checking out as well." Suntree finished the last of his tea and levitated it into a nearby trash can. "There are some very good painting and sculptures up near the castle if they haven't moved this year. Come on, let's catch up with Laney before she gets completely lost in the crowds."

"I'm just glad I don't have to work security here anymore," Cam said with a laugh. "That's not much fun."

Harry gave her a surprised look and stopped fiddling with his tassels. "The Aurors do that, too? I thought they only did really important events."

Cam grinned. "They do. But before I joined the USAS I was a part of regional law enforcement and they cover security for big events."

"Oh. Wait, we're in Canada, not America…"

"Quite right, yes. But at the same time, it's actually very… flexible. We're two separate groups, but in the magical world, borders aren't as restrictive. Travel is so much easier, after all. So the Canadian magical government and the American magical government tend to work together on the events that are going to draw a lot of people from both places."

"What region were you with?" Harry asked.

"Nine. So I was already used to dealing with cold and snow and ice." She made a face. "That's in the-"

"The Dakotas," Harry said promptly. "With a portion of Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota and Iowa."

Kathy laughed. "He certainly does pay attention. Al, you're right, he's turning into Suntree. The useless things that man remembers…"

"I'm right here," Suntree said mildly. "And they're not useless. And I'm going to stop here and get another drink. Hopefully the peppermint tea at this booth will actually be halfway decent. It certainly wasn't at the other."

The group slowed and broke apart a little to study some of the nearby booths as Suntree got his tea. Tony caught up with Laney.

"Anyway, definitely not my preferred climate, make no mistake," Cam continued, shaking her head as she studied a blanket. "But it's where I got the best job offer after I left the LEA."

Laney meandered over to study the blankets as well, stilling smiling to herself. She pulled off a glove to test the softness of a gold and green blanket with a few private snickers.

"What is it this time?" Cam asked with some exasperation.

"Nothing. What's the LEA?"

"Law Enforcement Academy," Harry piped up, working his hands into a pair of red gloves.

"Yet another prompt answer from Sunny's apprentice," Kathy muttered.

Suntree mimicked an evil chuckle, tapping his gloved fingertips together. "Soon we will be ready to take over the world, young apprentice, just you, me and our superfluity of useless knowledge."

Harry giggled.

"Who the heck uses a word like superfluity?" Al grumbled.

Harry giggled again.

"Apparently evil knowledge masters." Suntree strolled away from the drink booth, pausing long enough to offer Harry some of the cinnamon pretzel he'd bought.

"Thanks!"

"But merrily for me, the USAS accepted my application and Region Nine was but a memory," Cam continued, taking the blanket Laney had just purchased, still snickering to herself, and cramming it into her enchanted shoulder bag.

"Yay for Cam!" Harry hugged her side with a laugh. "Buy me gloves?"

"Spoiled monkeypants," Cam teased.

"But they're so soft and warm and pretty!" Harry protested with a little smirk.

With a snort she bought the gloves. "And for future reference, brat, throwing words I've said before back at me isn't a good way to get me to buy something for you."

"And yet it worked."

"Oh, we should also check out the singing fountains," Suntree commented, offering Harry another bit of pretzel.

"The what?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Suntree broke off another piece of pretzel for him with a raised brow, then dropped a hand to Harry's shoulder. "Come on, this way."

"So, still not going to let us know what all that mad laughter was about?" Tony asked Laney with amusement.

"Ohh, you wouldn't really get it." She gave his arm a pat.

"I'll be with you guys in a sec," Al called out.

Kathy glanced back. "What's he doing?"

"Probably hitting on girls," Cam huffed. "Because he's an idiot who never learns."

"Oh come on, you've got to give him credit for being earnest," Harry pointed out cheerfully.

"Desperate," Cam muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Hey all!" Al rested an elbow on Cam's shoulder with a grin as the group paused to wait for a gap in the crowd.

Cam ducked out from under his arm. "That rejection happened faster than usual."

"Haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, Cammy."

"Yeah, right, like you'd pass up the chance to be lame at a pretty woman."

Al snorted. "I was buying something, for your information. You can apologize any time you like now."

"Hah! Likely story."

"You know," Harry cut in with an oh-so-innocent smile, "Sunny tells me that when girls pick on you, it means they really like you."

Al grinned at Cam. Cam stared back at him blankly before moving to the opposite side of the group, next to Laney and Tony.

"That was pure evil," a voice murmured next to Harry's ear. "I entirely approve."

Harry twisted around with a shriek. "Terry! What are you doing here?!"

"A little bird told me that you'd be here tonight and I decided to see if you wanted some more company," Terry told him with a grin, picking him up. Harry let out another shriek of joy, throwing his arms around Terry's neck. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Yes!"

"Moving forward," Suntree called out.

"Where have you been?" Harry demanded. "The last I heard from you was two whole weeks ago!"

"Sorry, Jame. We had a bit of a security problem, but it's taken care of now. No danger," he reassured quickly at Harry's wide-eyed expression. "No danger at all. Just a glitch kind of thing. But I'm back! I should be around for at least a couple months."

"Yes! You have to come visit all the time!"

"I plan on it."

"Hey, how'd you find me, anyhow? There must be hundreds of people here."

"Several thousand, actually. And tracking charms, of course. We all know each other's magical signatures, so I just looked for a familiar bit of magic, and here we are."

"So where'd you go? What were you doing?"

"Sorry, kid, can't tell you anything more than you already know."

"But I know almost nothing," Harry protested.

"Can't; rules. But it was boring anyway! Let's hear about you. You must have grown two inches, and I know you definitely weigh a lot more!"

Harry poked his shoulder. "Did not. But I did, too."

"Did what to what?" Terry teased.

"I added height." Harry sniffed. "Not a ton of weight."

Terry laughed. "All right. But what've you been doing, huh? All you've been telling me is about your magic lessons and everything else is 'other stuff'. So what's this other stuff, huh?"

"You know, stuff."

"Nope. I know that. I'm not gonna stop bugging you until you tell me. And I learned how to be a pest from you."

Harry laughed. "Okay, fine." He wriggled. "But let me down. I'm too heavy for you, remember."

Terry set Harry on his feet with a grin. "I like the scarf."

"Thanks! So! The stuff I've been doing! I've been-"

"Jamie's epic retelling of the life of a ten year old magician will have to wait," Suntree interrupted. "Here are the singing fountains."

Harry eagerly dashed to the front of the group, grabbing Suntree's arm at the last second to stop himself from barreling into a young couple in front of them. From where they were standing, they had a good view. The singing fountains were just that, stone fountains in the images of fantastical fairy princesses and princes arranged in a semi-circle against a backdrop of delicate looking stone trees. The figures sang a variety of holiday music in rich, clear voices, each standing still in its own stone pool, though all of the pools were connected. As water dripped from the leaves of the trees into the pool below with musical plinks, it cascaded from the centermost pools down into the others.

As Harry watched in fascination, several people tossed coins into the pools of water, and where the coins fell, the water rippled outward in rainbow colors.

"Ooh! Can I-?"

Tony pressed a couple dozen coins into Harry's hand and nudged him towards the fountain. Harry spent several fascinated minutes just tossing coins into the fountain and watching the different colored ripples.

"Come on, Jamie, plenty more to see!" Kathy called out at last.

Harry bounced back over to the group and thieved Suntree's hot tea to have a drink. "That was so amazing!"

"Glad you liked it," Suntree said dryly, taking his tea back.

"Hey, the next races are starting in half an hour," Cam said, studying an information board on a nearby post. The words on it wriggled and rearranged themselves as they updated. "Why don't we look around until then?" Cam suggested after studying the new information.

Harry grinned. "Sounds great!"

"And after that there's the ice drawing competition!"

"Sounds-! Wait, what's that?"

"They smooth the ice out and then someone goes out on enchanted skates that leave behind fiery blazes of color wherever they touch the ice," Terry explained, snagging Harry's hand before he ran headlong into the same young couple. "People compete to see who can make the most detailed drawing," he finished with amusement.

"Sounds great!"

Tony chuckled. "We'll send someone up to the castle shortly before the races finish so we can get a nice spot and watch the drawing from above."

"Awesome!"

* * *

"I have a couple more for your scrap book." Suntree set some newspapers down on the coffee table.

Harry leaned forward curiously, turning the television off as he studied them. "Huh."

"Two of them are more or less truthful speculation about you being at the Ice Festival," Suntree told him. "Three of them are rather more fanciful and think you're traveling all over the country, the world, and possibly even the universe. I wish I was joking on that last one."

Harry snorted as he picked up a couple of the papers.

"Where's your mom?"

Harry made a face. "Organizing my sock drawer."

"Ah. Why?"

"Because she apparently doesn't like the way I organize it."

Suntree considered the sulky expression on Harry's face. "I see."

"It's more like she doesn't like the fact that I don't organize it." Harry rolled his eyes with a bit of a huff. "I spell pairs together when I find them and toss them in the drawer. But apparently, according to Mom, I should at least make an attempt to fold them or something." Harry looked up with another huff. "Who folds socks? Seriously? It totally does not make sense to me. It's just completely illogical." Harry's eyes narrowed. "You're a sock folder, aren't you?"

Suntree slid his hands into his pockets. "No. I just roll them up together." He pulled a hand from his pocket to rub his chin. "Never thought of spelling them to stick together…"

Harry looked back down at the papers. "See? Not even you fold socks. And seriously, match them, spell them together, toss them in. They're not going to wrinkle, and even if they did, hello, laundry charms. And beyond that, they're on my feet, covered by shoes. They're even matched! Not that I care. Who cares if my socks don't match? I don't. They're just socks. They don't matter. But Mom cares."

Suntree snorted. "I see."

"And I'm, like, totally grounded now because I told her that. Whatever. I didn't want to go out this weekend anyway. I don't care."

Suntree bit his cheek to keep from smiling. "It's nice to know you can act like a real boy on occasion."

"Just call me Pinocchio," Harry muttered.

"All right, Pinocchio."

Harry leaned in close, dropping his voice, eyeing the hallway behind Sunny. "And if I can't find a matched pair, I just change the color of one of them." He shrugged. "It's a sock drawer. It's supposed to be wild and free. Who cares? I don't."

Suntree snorted again.

"I'm just saying." Harry sat back and flipped through another paper. "They're my socks. It's ridiculous, that's all I'm saying."

"They are your socks, yes. Are you going to go on a sock fueled rampage if I ask your mother to come out here to discuss something?"

Harry waved vaguely, turning all of his attention to the paper. "Whatever. I don't care. Go ahead."

"Excellent." Suntree headed down the hallway to peer into Harry's room. Laney was matching socks, folding them, and putting them into a drawer with a vaguely cross look on her face. "Laney?"

She gave a grunt of acknowledgement.

"I'd like to talk to you. With Jamie."

"Give me a second."

Suntree joined Harry in the TV room, settling on the couch and picking up one of the papers to idly flip through. There was a hole in the middle of page three where Harry had cut out the Harry Potter article.

"Looks like I should start a second scrapbook," Harry remarked, sniggering a little at something he was looking at in _Mad Magical News_. "For all the articles about me that aren't true."

"Guess so."

"Jamie's grounded this weekend," Laney remarked as she came into the room. "So he can't go anywhere."

"I don't care," Harry muttered into his newspaper. "Didn't want to, anyway."

"Fine then," Laney told him. "If you don't care then you can stay home next weekend, too."

"I heard about the grounding," Suntree interrupted before Harry could open his mouth. "That won't affect this."

"So what do you need?" Laney settled at the other end of the couch.

"Remember when I mentioned that you may want to consider a press agent?" Suntree asked. "To help control the media, since there's so much of it over here?"

"Um, yeah."

"I think that day is just around the corner." Suntree pushed over the more fanciful articles Harry had cut out.

Harry glanced between them, his mulish expression replaced by curiosity. "What's a press agent?"

"I never did get around to talking to him about it," Laney admitted as she picked up the articles.

"It's someone like a press secretary, like you see on TV," Suntree answered. "A press agent controls a famous person's contact with the media; newspapers, television, radio, so forth. They'll issue statements from you on anything you might be involved in, so you don't have to deal with unnecessary interviews. Anyone wishing to contact you for any reason would ideally go through the press agent first. They help control how your image and name are used, though a lot of that also comes down to your lawyer."

"I have a lawyer?"

"I do," Laney told him, frowning vaguely at the articles. "We'll be looking for your own one day soon, when we have more control over the Potter family business matters."

"Oh. Okay… but these articles aren't really saying anything bad about me…" Harry frowned a little. "Oh, but… one day they could, I guess, and that's when it's a good idea to have someone like a press agent?"

Suntree nodded. "Exactly. Once you start appearing in public and admit to being Harry Potter, the USAS won't be containing rumors like we have been in the interest of your safety. At that point, it's no longer a security issue."

Harry frowned a little more and pulled his glasses off to clean them.

"Jamie." Suntree took the glasses from him and tapped the bridge before handing them back.

"Thanks."

"It's not as if you couldn't have done it yourself."

Harry shrugged a little. "I don't know anything about press agents," he grumbled. "How am I supposed to look for one?"

"Sunny and I have actually discussed this," Laney told him, shaking her head over the articles in her hand. "He knows someone-"

"Of course," Harry murmured.

Laney gave him a mild look. "He knows someone who can recommend some people. So when you meet them-"

"Oh man," Harry interrupted, kicking the edge of the coffee table.

Laney stiffened.

"Jamie, run downstairs and get me a drink, please," Suntree said firmly. "Thank you."

Harry shrugged and slid off the couch. He practically thumped down the stairs, but Laney was too busy giving Suntree a raised brow look to scold.

"Laney," Suntree said mildly, "he's ten. I know you're irritated with him right now, but he's ten. Personally, I don't think this is something you should expect him to do. You can at least narrow it down to several best choices and then see who he gets along with best."

Laney sighed. "You're right." She put down the articles and ran her hands back through her hair. "You're right."

Suntree leaned in a little. "Not that I'm voicing an opinion here, but… you grounded him over socks?"

Laney groaned. "No. I didn't ground him over socks. Is that what he told you?"

"Not quite."

"I grounded him because he wouldn't stop arguing with me about it."

"Ah."

"You didn't tell me what you wanted," Harry called up as he thumped back up the stairs. "So I got you an apple juice and you're stuck with it now."

"Apple juice is fine."

Harry tossed the bottle Suntree's way as he came around the coffee table to plop back down on the couch.

"Because holding it as you came around the couch and then handing it to me like a civilized person would have been too much effort?" Suntree asked with amusement.

Harry made a face.

"Suntree and I will handle picking the best of the press agents," Laney remarked.

"I will?" Suntree asked.

"You will."

"I guess I will."

"Sounds good to me." Harry gathered up the articles again, keeping them in separate little stacks. He frowned a little as he looked at one of them. "Hey…"

Suntree gave him a curious look.

"Wait a minute…" Harry looked up with a frown. "How do people even know what I look like? To be able to spot me?"

"One of two ways," Suntree answered promptly. "One is much less probable, but not impossible, and that is that someone has seen one of the pictures of your family in a history book and they remember it and make the connection between the picture and you. Near as I can tell, you do look strikingly like your father."

"That's not very likely," Harry said with a snort. "I've seen the very few rare pictures in the books-"

"I'm aware," Suntree interrupted dryly. "You rip them out."

"Only once." Harry crossed his arms defensively. "And I don't have any pictures of my family. Mom didn't keep any. And it's not as if I've ever met anyone else that might."

"I know." Suntree gave his knee a pat. "I know, Jamie."

"But, yeah, those are hardly the best quality. Like you said, it's near as you can tell." He snorted. "They're not even, like, real photos, either. They're more like drawings of photos." Harry considered that and snorted again. "No, not even drawings of photos. They're more like drawings of descriptions of photos, or something equally retarded. Mom says that there're things that just aren't right if you actually know what they look like."

"James with the huge nose amused me to no end," Laney murmured with a hint of amusement.

Harry gave her a look.

"I'm just saying. You wouldn't understand."

Harry glared. "You never give me the chance to understand. Just because I didn't know my parents, it doesn't mean-"

"You'd have to have known James as he was growing up and the friends and enemies he had at school and a whole lot of other things that can't really be explained."

Harry continued to glare, but when Laney just shrugged a little he turned his attention to Suntree with a grumble. "So? What's the other way?"

"The fact that Harry Potter is described as black haired, green eyed and has a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Two are self evident, and you don't take great pains to hide the third."

"I guess that would do it," Harry said a little grudgingly.

Suntree rolled his eyes.

* * *

Harry let out a yell of frustration, kicking the wall and then cursing at the pain.

"The spell isn't that hard…" Al said, looking very puzzled.

"It's not…" Harry plopped down on the floor and glared at the far wall. "I know."

"Then why aren't you getting it?"

"Because magic doesn't like it."

"What?"

"Because magic doesn't like it!"

"Okay! What does that mean?"

"It means I'm not learning this spell!"

"Ever?"

"I don't know!"

Suntree tapped lightly on the door. "Am I interrupting something?"

Harry shot a disgruntled look at Suntree. "I've got another one," he muttered. "I can't do the muscle cramping spell. Al's been trying to teach me for, like, two hours now. It won't work at all."

Suntree rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Muscle cramp, nose bleed, itchy feet, balloon tying, hamburger patty shaping, fingernail trimming, turning clothes inside out, changing the color of ink… All the others are just as random. I still see no rhyme or reason as to why magic won't let you do certain spells."

Harry flopped back on the floor. "Well, it won't," he grumbled.

"So… moving onto another spell today?" Al asked.

Harry rolled over and got up. "No. I'm going to go shower and see if someone will take me shopping."

"What do you need to go shopping for?" Suntree asked as Harry trudged past him.

"I want some candy, I want some new books, I want to get a couple 3-D puzzles and I want that new remote controlled truck. I've been saving up my allowance."

"I'll talk to your mom," Suntree offered. "If she says it's okay, Al will take you."

"I will?"

"You will."

"Cool." Al shrugged. "We can visit the arcade or something."

* * *

"Um…"

Laney looked up from the files she was reviewing with Suntree. "Um?"

"Well… You know Markus?"

"That soccer friend of yours? He's in your magic classes, too? He visits every once and a while?"

Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah."

"Then I obviously know him."

"Well, um, you see…"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"He plays on a team."

"Okay," Laney said slowly.

"And it looks like a lot of fun."

"Imagine that. Playing on a team and it looks like a lot of fun." Laney rolled her eyes. "Just go ahead and tell me."

"We've been playing spell dodge after class sometimes, and it's really fun and I'm really good, and Markus is on a team and he's really good, too, and he wants me to join his team… Please?"

Laney looked at Suntree. "Spell dodge?"

"Mm, quite the classic." Suntree sat back. "I remember it fondly from when I played in school. Very easy game, as well, at the lower levels. You're basically dodging spells, as per the name. An instructor uses a wand and calls them out and you have to dodge them. If the spell hits, it does something innocuous like changing your hair color or making someone sing or dance. The spells get faster as the game progresses, and if you last the length of a round, which varies depending on the rules, it gets harder in the next round. More elements get added in the following rounds, like voiceless casting, wandless casting, two casters, and so forth."

"Oh." She considered that. "Normal kids' game, though?"

"Kids do play it," Suntree told her. "It's rather like most non-magical games. There're kid leagues for soccer and baseball and football, but there're also professional players."

"Well, I don't see why not." Laney shrugged.

"Yes!"

"But- is it really fair? With all his training?"

Harry wilted. "Oh. Yeah, I guess that's right…"

"I'll check out this team," Suntree said, eyeing Harry. "Some of them are more advanced than others. As I recall, Mark is almost twelve, so he might be on a junior league instead of a youth league. I think Jamie could play on a junior team without it being a problem."

Harry perked up. "Really?"

"Absolutely.

"Awesome!"

* * *

"What did you think of Jerem?"

"He's pretty cool." Harry pushed his homework away, pulling his glasses off with his other hand to rub his eyes. "He didn't treat me like a five year old; I liked that. The first two I met totally sucked."

"That they did," Laney agreed, sitting down next to Harry at the table and picking up his math homework to look over.

"He came prepared, too," Harry said, folding his arms on the table and putting his chin on his arms. "All those clippings and that sample stuff and, you know, stuff. I like him."

"Suntree likes him best, too."

"So why didn't I meet Jer first?"

"He came in at the last minute. When we first started to go through possibilities, Jer wasn't available. Luckily, someone Sunny knows-"

"Of course," Harry muttered.

"-Mentioned him being more available than was previously believed." Laney shrugged. "So you liked him?"

"Yeah, he's cool."

"Sunny says that Jer can be quite a dragon in the protection of a client. I get the feeling that will come in handy someday. It seems to me that the more interested people are in someone famous, the less privacy the public and reporters think the person has a right to."

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, I know, Mom. Jer's awesome."

"And it's just in time, too, with you starting this dodge spell league thing."

"Spell dodge, Mom." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Spell dodge, dodge spell, you know what I mean. Either way, it won't take long before word spreads. It's nice knowing we won't be at the mercy of the press."

Harry snorted. "You make them sound like wild dogs."

Laney grinned. "And far less easily appeased."

* * *

"Don't pay any attention to him," Markus muttered, grabbing Harry's sleeve and pulling him away from the practice ground. Harry stumbled a little as the taller boy pulled him off balance, but he recovered quickly. "He's just being a retard."

"Yeah, I kind of noticed that," Harry said a little dryly.

Markus let go of his sleeve and dropped down to sit on the bench, opening up the cooler by his feet. "He's just jealous."

"I noticed that, too." Harry caught the orange Markus tossed him and sat down on the bench next to him. "Thanks."

"He was the best player before you showed up."

Harry shrugged a little, snagging his bag with his foot and dragging it over to grab a washcloth from inside. Markus watched him avidly as Harry laid the washcloth out on the bench, set the orange down atop the washcloth, then gave the top of the orange several taps that peeled and separated the sections.

"That's so freaking awesome." Markus held out his orange. "Do mine?"

"Sure." Harry took the orange and repeated the process. "Here."

"I wish I could do magic like that."

"The magic isn't that difficult, especially with a wand and-"

"That's nice. But not all of us are allowed to just do magic whenever we want," Markus pointed out, popping an orange section into his mouth.

"Well, technically I'm supposed to only be doing magic with adult supervision," Harry admitted, rubbing a sticky hand on his shirt. "But Tony's around somewhere and that's good enough for me."

"Lucky you," Markus mumbled around a mouthful of orange.

Harry shrugged, glancing back out at the practice field where Sarah hadn't dodged a spell fast enough and was now doing a jig. "It's pretty cool," he said after a few moments, looking back to Markus. "Except they expect me to be all responsible and stuff," he added with a grin.

Markus spit some seeds out into the grass, snorting. "You're responsible in your sleep."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

They ate their orange slices quietly for a few minutes, watching others on their team try to last as long as possible without getting hit.

"How's the famous thing going?" Markus asked.

Harry knocked on the bench and crossed his fingers. "So far, so good. We haven't had anyone show up yet to gawk at our practices or games, after all. I know it's only a matter of time before someone talks to someone who talks to someone or something like that, but until then…" he knocked on the bench again.

Markus nodded. "Hey, want to come over this weekend?"

Harry looked over in surprise.

"What?" Markus frowned a little. "Are you not allowed to do that for security reasons or something?"

"Nothing, no." He shook his head. "I'm allowed to go places."

Markus grinned. "Great. Want to come over this weekend?"

"Well…"

Markus frowned again. "You don't want to?"

"It's not that. It sounds fun. But I have to ask my mom and she'll need to talk to your mom and visit your house."

"Sounds pretty normal."

"And then my bodyguard people will have to talk to your mom and family and visit your house and check your wards and stuff…"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah…"

"Well… I'll talk to my mom and she'll come to practice on Thursday and you can have your mom come Thursday and they can talk," Markus decided. "And then they can work out the rest of that."

Harry grinned. "Sounds great."

"Jamie! You're up next! Get out here and get ready!"

Harry took a drink of water his water bottle and wiped his hands before getting up and jogging onto the field.

* * *

"I had no idea that owning stuff and making money and all that crap could be sooo boring," Harry grumbled.

Laney snickered. "What do you expect? Potter's an old pureblood name, and purebloods like to invest. One day you'll have to take over the management of your holdings."

"Companies," Harry muttered. "Properties. Ma-"

"Still filling his head with boring things?" Tony asked from the entrance of the dining room.

"Yes! Save me, Tony! It's all figures and lists and shares and I'd rather do a book report!"

"Wow. That's some serious torture you're hitting the kid with there, Laney."

Laney rolled her eyes. "What? It's better to present him with all of this information when he turns eighteen?"

"Technically, a lot of that stuff is based in Wizarding Britain, and he has dual citizenship, last I checked, so he'll be given adult status at seventeen over there."

"The point is, he actually has a guardian qualified to handle his affairs to some degree, and knowledgeable enough to do so, so he can and ought to learn over time. One of the very few advantages to being a squib-"

"Trace-magical," Harry corrected automatically.

"-is having more rights to handling magical affairs than a Muggle-"

"Non-magical."

"-would have. Jamie'll actually get some say in some of these things when he turns twelve over here, won't he? Am I remembering that right?"

"Some of it, yeah. Our laws are a bit different," Tony answered.

"So he should know that stuff beforehand. And he will. And this year is when he gets access to his school vault, so it'd have come up anyway."

Harry perked up. "This year what vault huh?"

"You get access to your school vault," Laney told Harry dryly. "Because you _would_ be starting school in Britain this year, if you were there. Your parents set you up with a school vault to take care of all the supplies you'd need for school. And the Gringotts branch over here works with the European branch, so you'll have access to your school vault."

"Oh!"

"I have every intention of continuing to buy your school things for you," Laney told him. "That's what mothers do. You don't actually need the school vault."

"Oh."

"But if you behave properly, I'll allow you to draw out some of the money. A small amount, mind you. Just a little extra pocket money."

"Really?"

"If you behave."

"Awesome!"

"If you behave."

"As if I wouldn't, Mom."

She snorted and tapped the papers spread out around them.

Harry gave a long suffering sigh. "Oh, fine."

* * *

"Gonna meet some new people soon," Tony remarked with a grin.

Harry studied him warily. He'd begun to notice more often lately that Tony only looked average and forgettable until you really paid attention to him, and then there was suddenly a wolf staring out at you from under the skin. And when the wolf grinned, you'd better pay attention.

"Am I?" he asked guardedly.

"You sure are. It'll be a real treat, too. Sunny-"

"Knows someone, I bet."

"Too right you are. Sunny's arranged for a real fighter to come in and give you some tips now that you're improving in leaps and bounds. And when I say real fighter, I mean someone really down and dirty, no rules kind of thing."

"Should I be worried?"

Tony grinned even more.

"I should be worried," Harry decided.

"Even more no rules, rough and tumble than me."

Harry held back a small wince. "I definitely should be worried."

"And we have a treat for you. Sunny's arranged for a weapons and explosives expert to come in and see you, talk to you about some stuff, show you some interesting things, give you a few demonstrations. And do not tell your mother that!"

"As if I would," Harry retorted. "Do I look like a total retard?" He gave a little bounce, grinning. "But seriously? Like, seriously blowing shit up? Really seriously? Because that is so way cool!"

"Seriously blowing shit up," Tony agreed. "And it is way cool. Don't say shit, though; it'll get me in trouble."

Harry snickered. "But totally way cool." He grinned. "Blowing stuff up! That's so awesome!"

"And the fighter may start to work with us as a sort of bodyguard, depending on how things go. Maybe. But if it does happen, it wouldn't be long term like it is for the rest of us idiots." He grinned at Harry's snort. "The explosives and weapons is definitely short term, of course. And it's only to familiarize you with all of that and only because you've expressed strong interest in becoming an Auror. So enjoy it while it lasts."

"When do I get to meet them?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Beginning of March, so two weeks, give or take a couple days. You'll meet them both at the same time. More secure."

"Awesome."

"And don't-"

"Tell my mother, I know." He rolled his eyes. "Honestly. She'd never let me out of my room if I told her half the stuff I was doing these days."

"With good reason. Getting beat up by Auror trainees she's never met, spending time in our closed case files room – and don't give me that innocent look, young man, we know you're looking at stuff your mother would have kittens over – sitting in on classes when you visit headquarters, hanging around with thirty-foot highly poisonous snakes, flying about like a racecar driver in the air-"

"I get the point," Harry said with another eye roll.

"And that's not to mention-"

"Tony," Harry grumped.

"Not to mention what?" Laney asked from the next room.

"Not to mention he's going to be late for his singing lesson if he doesn't stop dawdling about," Tony said, giving Harry that same wolfish grin.

"Thought I mentioned that was cancelled today," Laney said absently. "Teacher had some sort of singing emergency across town or something."

"Imagine that, a singing emergency."

"Shut up, you," Harry muttered at Tony.

"No singing like an angel for Jamie today."

"Don't tease Jamie about his singing lessons, Tony. You may not fear the spoon, but you fear peas and you're staying for dinner."

"Oh no, not the peas."

"It's peas for dinner tonight, then." They heard her leave the room. Her office door closed a handful of moments later.

"One day I'll get around to mentioning that I actually rather like peas."

Harry threw a pillow at him. "You mushy pea freak," he muttered.

* * *

"Hey, Charles, favor?"

The dark haired man behind the desk looked up with a grin. "Sunny, Jamie, what's up?"

"I have to report to Section 2D ASAP and I don't have time to take Jamie all the way back to Section A. Can he sit in on your class until I'm done? He's got some homework he can work on."

"Sure. No problem."

"I should be back in half an hour, forty five minutes." Suntree ruffled Harry's hair. "Behave."

"As if I ever don't."

Suntree tapped Harry's nose and nudged him into the room before taking off at a brisk pace down the hall.

Harry pulled his backpack more securely over his shoulder and wandered into the classroom. "Hey, Charlie."

"That middle back table is always empty. Feel free to set up there."

"Thanks." Harry settled in the plastic chair, smiling a little when the cushioning charm kicked in and made it twice as comfortable as it should have been. He began to spread out his social studies homework on the table, glancing up only for a moment when he heard chalk squeaking over the blackboard.

Charles was sitting at the edge of his desk, studying some papers. When he noticed Harry looking up he grinned sheepishly, glancing back at the chalk that was writing the day's introduction topic on the board. "Sorry about the squeaking. I still lean too heavily on that spell, I know."

Harry grinned. "Teach me?"

"One day."

"Aww, you always say that."

"And one day I'll teach you. When I'm sure it won't come back to bite me in some way, say in the form of you deciding to break up the monotony of a boring class by writing jokes on the board or something."

Harry pouted. "I'm more responsible than that."

"You're still a kid."

With even more of a pout Harry looked down at his book.

It wasn't more than a few minutes before students began to file in, all first year trainees. Harry watched them through his bangs as they sat down, most only sparing him a single curious glance. They were all in their mid- to late twenties, and he recognized most of the faces, at least vaguely. He couldn't help but be amused that a ten-year-old sitting in the back of their classroom had become so commonplace that they barely gave it a thought.

"Good afternoon, class, and welcome to Basic Theories," Charles said once the classroom was half full and no one else had come in for a few minutes. "I am Charles Berkum, your instructor for this course. I see some new faces today. For those of you who haven't attended a wheel class, you'll be spending the next eight weeks with me, two classes a week, and when the lesson plan circles back to the topic that you came in on, your time here will be done. Now let me take roll and we'll get started."

Harry went back to his homework at that point, trying not to tap his feet under the desk in the very quiet classroom. He kept half an ear on the lesson once it actually started.

* * *

"I hear you have some… interesting views on magic," Suntree remarked as he shifted the logs on the fire with a hand movement. "Charles spoke to me a couple days ago."

Harry gave Suntree a bit of a sheepish smile. "It just came out."

"Not a problem. You're not in trouble. You may want to consider a little more caution in the future, though. You have some unique gifts with magic; some of them you might not want to advertise."

"I understand."

"But you're not in trouble."

"I know." Harry glanced at the clock on the mantle and put his _Hardy Boys_ book down.

Suntree chuckled. "You actually told the class that magic is of the opinion that dividing magic between light and dark is a super dumb idea?"

Harry's mouth twitched. "I might have said something along those lines." He rolled his eyes. "They were talking about Dark Arts and Dark Magic and some of the people were being stupid and insisting that they actually existed. Charles kept trying to say that it didn't, that those were unnecessary categories. Magic is magic, its energy; energy can't be evil _or_ good. It can be tainted, sure, but the magic in its raw form isn't anything but energy. So when Charles asked my opinion, I gave it to him."

Suntree laughed. "In great detail, so I've heard."

Harry gave an innocent shrug.

Suntree reached out and ruffled his hair, ignoring Harry's noise of protest. "So, ready to meet them?"

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but the doorbell cut off his answer. He gave Suntree a wry smile. "Too late not to be," he said, following Suntree into the entry. He hung back a handful of steps as Suntree answered the door.

A slim woman stepped inside, Asian and vaguely petite. As she looked around the entry with a closed-in expression, it occurred to Harry that she probably would have been very pretty if she wasn't scowling so much and didn't have her hair pulled back severely.

"Afternoon, Akira," Suntree greeting as he took her black coat. She was wearing plain black jeans and a black shirt underneath. "You're the first here."

"Typical man," she muttered. "Always late."

"You're actually a bit early."

She ignored Suntree and fixed her gaze on Harry. "That him?"

"This is Jamie, yes."

She looked him up and down and Harry tried his best not to shuffle his feet nervously.

"I suppose you have to work with what you get," she muttered at last.

Harry began to feel a little indignant, but the doorbell cut off any remark he might have come up with.

"Good to see you," Suntree said as he opened the door. "Right on time."

"Thanks."

Harry perked up as a smiling man walked in. He wasn't a scowling Asian woman, for one thing. He was a tall man, honey-brown hair, and he walked in a way that made Harry think of Tony, loose but alert.

"Hey there," he said, spotting Harry. He had a drawling accent that Harry had heard from a few other people when visiting the USAS headquarters. "Jamie, right?"

Harry gave a nod. "Nice to meet you."

"Same here-"

"Enough chit chat," Akira cut in. "We're here for business."

"I'm Green," the man continued, ignoring her. She sent a glare his way but he didn't seem to notice; he just held out a hand to Harry. "You prefer Jamie rather than Harry?"

"Yeah." Harry shook the hand. "You go by your last name?"

"Let me know when you two finish your male bonding," Akira sneered, pushing past them into the living room.

"Nope," Green told him, beginning to grin a little.

"Oh. Green's your first name?" Harry asked with surprise.

"Nope. Name's Joseph Hunter Dowdy. Nickname's Green."

"Nickname for what?"

"Just a nickname. No idea where it came from. Had it as long as I can remember." Green's lips lifted in amusement at the impatient huff from the next room. "Guess we better get in there, huh?" Shaking his head, he strolled in casually.

Harry looked over at Suntree. "She's going to blow me up, isn't she?" he muttered. "Or shoot me, or something."

"Why would I blow you up?" Akira asked crossly from the next room. "I don't blow things up. Explosions and big guns are puerile. They're for big boys who have little-"

"Hey now," Green interrupted. "We don't need none of that. And there's nothin' wrong with explosions and guns."

"You would think that. You're male."

Harry gave Suntree a wide-eyed look. "She's going to teach me to fight dirty?" he all but squeaked.

"She's one of the best."

"But…"

"Think girls can't fight?" Akira snapped from the next room.

"No!"

"Good. Because one day you'll be lucky if you can say you fight like a girl."

Harry gave Suntree a pleading look. Suntree winked at him. "She'll grow on you," he murmured.

"What? Like a fungus?"

Suntree chuckled.

"Are you laughing about me out there?"

"No, ma'am." Suntree guided Harry gently into the next room. Tony appeared in the kitchen doorway just as they settled on the couch.

"Hey, Aki. Thought I recognized your voice."

"Her dulcet tones are hard to miss," Suntree remarked.

Akira gave him a vicious look.

"I suggest you keep that attitude away from my wildcat," Tony told her, strolling into the room to perch on the arm of the couch, facing toward the chair Akira was sitting in. "Or we'll be having words."

She glared even more viciously at Tony, but when she looked further down the couch at Harry her expression relaxed a little. Harry was hard pressed not to stare in worshipful wonder at Tony.

"Hey, kid."

Harry gave a start and looked to the other chair. He'd almost forgotten Green was in the room. The man gave a wave from where he was sprawled out, right at home. "Uh, yeah?"

"Ever shoot a gun?" Green asked curiously.

"Uh, no… Why would I have?"

"Never shot a pellet gun or somethin'?" Green asked with some surprise. "No BB gun?"

"Uh… a water gun? I've got water guns. That doesn't really count, does it…?"

Green laughed. "Least it's somethin'."

"Oh, wait! Video games and arcade games. I've played some of those. Do those count?"

He shrugged a little. "It's something'." He sat up and leaned forward. "You wanna learn how to shoot a real gun?"

"What? Yeah, sure. Sure!"

"We'll get along just fine."

"But… you'll have to get my Mom to agree."

"Laney has views on guns," Suntree explained. "She doesn't allow them in the house."

"Yeah, one time I stopped by to drop something off straight off duty, and I was of course wearing my gun with my wand," Tony put in. "She told me to get out of the house and take it home and then I could come back."

"This could be problematic," Green mused.

"I'll see about handling it," Suntree remarked.

"Awesome!"

Akira sneered. "Men."

* * *

And for something a little new… sneak peek at the next chapter!

* * *

"Hey, I'm gonna go."

Harry's head snapped up at the breathy sounding words. John was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, looking pale and unsteady on his feet. "You all right, Mr. John?"

John smiled wanly. "I will be."

Harry stood slowly, concerned. "You sound a little breathless…"

"Damn leg. Nothing unusual. It's the cold snap."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's just the knee." With a strained noise, John leaned forward against his cane to rub at his knee, the corner of his mouth twitching on a repressed frown. When John suddenly bit his lip with a half groan, gripping his knee, Harry's concern skyrocketed and he started to edge around the table.

"Mr. John?" he asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine." He took a deep, shaky breath, waving a hand. "Just- the knee acting up. It happens. I thought I'd be okay today, wasn't this bad… But I can feel the ache right around the potion now. I really should go." John winced. "Might be a few days before I'm feeling up to coming over." He shifted to straighten and grunted as his knee gave out.

Harry shot around the table, desperately flinging both hands in John's direction, casting a levitation charm. A glass on the counter shot up and shattered against the ceiling as it was caught in the sweep of it, but John didn't finish his slide to the floor. With a grunt, Harry leaned against the counter, arms trembling at the strain on his magic even as he tried to force more concentration and will into holding it.

"I've got him," Tony said, appearing suddenly behind John. He slid under John's arm, pulling the arm around his shoulder. "You can let go."


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Abridged review responses for previous chapter in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: Reviews make author happy, happy author writes and posts more. WIN!

Betas: Megan, Jynx67, Silveredred and Madam Whitbrook. Thanks!

AN: Haven't had a chance to look at some of the last reviews, been busy, but I figured that people would like to see the next chapter rather than wait for me to do that (hopefully this weekend). So enjoy!

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 26

* * *

"Hey, I'm gonna go."

Harry's head snapped up at the breathy sounding words. John was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, looking pale and unsteady on his feet. "You all right, Mr. John?"

John smiled wanly. "I will be."

Harry stood slowly, concerned. "You sound a little breathless…"

"Damn leg. Nothing unusual. It's the cold snap."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's just the knee." With a strained noise, John leaned forward against his cane to rub at his knee, the corner of his mouth twitching on a repressed frown. When John suddenly bit his lip with a half groan, gripping his knee, Harry's concern skyrocketed and he started to edge around the table.

"Mr. John?" he asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine." He took a deep, shaky breath, waving a hand. "Just- the knee acting up. It happens. I thought I'd be okay today, wasn't this bad… But I can feel the ache right around the potion now. I really should go." John winced. "Might be a few days before I'm feeling up to coming over." He shifted to straighten and grunted as his knee gave out.

Harry shot around the table, desperately flinging both hands in John's direction, casting a levitation charm. A glass on the counter shot up and shattered against the ceiling as it was caught in the sweep of it, but John didn't finish his slide to the floor. With a grunt, Harry leaned against the counter, arms trembling at the strain on his magic even as he tried to force more concentration and will into holding it.

"I've got him," Tony said, appearing suddenly behind John. He slid under John's arm, pulling the arm around his shoulder. "You can let go."

Harry sagged and leaned heavily against the counter as he let go of the wandless magic with a little grunt. Harry waved vaguely in Tony's direction as Tony studied him intently, already turning to lead John into the living room.

"I'm fine," John muttered, flushing as they disappeared from view.

"Sure you are," Tony said agreeably.

Harry took a deep breath and pushed away from the counter, stepping over the shattered glass with care but not even trying to repair it. In the living room, John was just sinking down heavily onto the couch with Tony's help. "You should see a healer," Harry said, coming over to study John worriedly. "We should call a healer."

"Not much they can do for me these days, Jame," John admitted wanly, sitting back slowly. "Just have to ride it ou- out," he finished breathlessly. "I can tell this is going to be bad. I really should get home while I can."

"You're as good as home right now," Harry told him sternly. "You're not leaving in this condition."

"Jamie-"

"No." Harry held his hand out to Tony. "Wand?"

Tony flicked his wrist and offered his wand as he came around the table.

Harry took the wand and made an imperious gesture in the direction of the side table. It transfigured into an ottoman that slid under John's leg. With a couple of flicks Harry adjusted the ottoman's angle and size until John started to relax a little. "Better?"

"Yeah, some…" John groaned a little after a moment, leaning forward to rub at his knee.

Harry pulled the coffee table up next to John with another imperious gesture. "Sit back. Honestly." He tossed the wand back to Tony and went to sit on the table, reaching out to rub John's knee. He almost imagined that he could feel the magic knotted and twisted up in areas, edges raw and painful. It didn't seem likely, but he tried his best to rub soothingly in those areas all the same. "Do you need any sort of pain potion? Muscle relaxant? Magic calmer?"

John chuckled a little breathily. "Afraid not. Doesn't work on the knee, not when it's just the magic."

"Sure?"

"Definitely."

"Then just sit back." Harry chanced summoning a blanket wandlessly. His magic didn't twinge. He snagged it and settled it over John, tucking it in carefully before going back to rubbing the knee.

"I'm going to be okay," John murmured, face still strained.

"Quiet. I'm not stupid. You'll be okay, but you're not okay now. You _sure_ there's nothing the healers can do for you?"

"Knock me out, pretty much. Doesn't stop the pain, I'm just not conscious to feel it. It's not an option I prefer."

"Fine." Harry continued to rub the knee. "This helping?"

"Yeah…"

"Because if it's not-"

"No, it is."

"Okay. Tony, get him something to drink."

"I'm not-"

"You are." Harry gave him a look. "For such a smart person, you're being pretty stupid right now."

John gave him a weak smile. "You're a good kid."

"Glad you think so. But you're not leaving."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he murmured.

Harry eyed him with a little frown. "You really don't look good."

"Listen, Jame… I've got a lingering curse in my knee. It hurts like hell. It makes me feel sick to my stomach, like I'm being hit with the curse continually. But it's not actually hurting me in itself."

Tony came back in with a glass of water. Despite his earlier protest, John took the glass in a slightly unsteady hand and began to sip without needing prompting.

"Get Mr. John a nausea potion."

"Jame-"

"No."

"Jeeze, kid."

"I'm practicing to be a dictator," Harry told him shortly, shifting his hands on the knee as he concentrated, wondering if he really was feeling something there. "You can't escape. Sucks to be you. Stay here." Harry got up.

"Where would I go?"

"I don't know, but if you're not here when I get back…"

"I'll be here."

Harry caught up with Tony just before he left the kitchen. With a finger to his lips for quiet, Harry nudged Tony back into the room, stole his wand again, and tossed a muffling charm on the doorway. He took the first aid kit from Tony and opened it on the counter, studying the neat rows of ready-made potions resting in their slots. "Where's Suntree?"

"Not here," Tony answered. "He left half an hour ago, maybe a little later."

"Do we have that…?" Harry trailed off as his questing fingers found the small notebook tucked into a side pocket. Harry flipped through several dozen pages of handwritten healing charms, custom potions recipes and other things of healing importance before he found the list he sought. He flipped through the names of his Aurors until he found John's.

Tony whistled. "Damn…"

Harry nodded, completely agreeing with Tony's opinion as he studied the long list of potions, medications and charms John was taking or often under the influence of, and the even longer list of known spells that adversely affected him and his potion and ingredient allergies. Harry had to flip through several pages.

"Hell… He's got the worst ingredient allergies I've ever seen! No wonder he's so miserable. I mean, shit, he's allergic to catnip? That's a base for almost every stomach soothing potion that has any shelf life." Harry growled under his breath as he pulled out various potions to look at their labels.

"It'd almost be easier if we had a list of things that _didn't_ affect him negatively," Tony remarked dryly. "It'd probably be a shorter list."

"You know what? Fuck it." Harry grabbed the kit and went back to the living room. John chuckled softly at seeing his stormy expression.

"Man, what are you not allergic to?" Harry grumbled, sitting on the coffee table with the kit in front of him.

"I can take Sootheres."

Harry pulled that potion out and looked at the label. "Hm. Catnip, but there's castor in it, too, so that helps cancels the adverse affects of catnip… But we've also got…"

"Got what?"

Harry shook his head and pulled out a few more potions before finding the one he was thinking of. "Meadowsweet," he said to himself. "Okay. We've got… those two cancel each other out…" he murmured to himself, holding up two vials side by side to study. "There's those and we have that… And there's that…"

"Jamie? What are you doing?"

"You can take Canther's Headache Ease, right?" Harry asked, ignoring John's question as he tried to flip through the book with one hand.

"Yeah. Why?"

Harry shoved the book aside. "And you can take Sootheres and Canther's together, right?"

"Uh, yeah. But I don't have a headache."

"I know." Harry summoned a glass from the kitchen and transfigured it into a potion vial before cracking the first potion open and pouring half of it into the empty vial. He cracked the other open and added twenty careful drops. Harry found a clean vial cap in the bottom of the first aid kit and he snapped it on to give the mixed potion a good shake. He studied the color critically as the potion settled.

"Jamie, what are you doing?"

"Putting something together that'll actually do something for you."

John laughed. "Kid, what makes you think you can do something for me the healers haven't been able to do for years?"

"Humor me." Harry handed John the vial with a stern look. With an eye roll, John accepted the vial and knocked it down. "Drink more water," Harry told John as he started to put everything away. He carefully stored the mostly empty vial that John handed him, just in case it was needed later.

"Fine." John went back to sipping. "You should be a healer; you're bossy enough for it."

Harry gave John a mild look as he stood with the kit. "I'll be right back."

"What did you just give him?" Tony asked quietly as he followed Harry into the kitchen.

"A stomach soother with a side of pain potion," Harry answered, putting the kit on the counter near the door. "We just happen to have one of the rarer ones in our kit; it has meadowsweet and lemon balm in it."

"They cancel out or something?"

"What, meadowsweet and lemon balm? No, definitely not. They enhance each other." Harry washed his hands thoroughly at the sink, using the nullifying potion soap from under the sink in case he had any traces of potion on his hands. "Just enough lemon balm will enhance the meadowsweet and boost the soothing properties of the two potions while killing the magical properties of catnip. Ideally that's not a good thing, unless you're allergic to catnip."

"And if you don't mix it in the right amount?"

"Too much lemon balm changes the magical properties of meadowsweet; combined they enhance the effectiveness of the catnip."

"And you're sure about the proportions?"

"Is John out there screaming in pain right now? Then yes, I'm quite sure about the proportions."

Tony stared at him. "That's…"

"Not as dangerous as it sounds," Harry reassured him. "I've been working on just these kinds of combinations during my potion tutoring."

"Okay… So what you just gave him, what will it do?"

Harry shrugged and pulled out a clean towel to dry his hands. "It'll relax him."

"And?"

Harry shrugged again. "That's it. With as bad as John feels right now, once he relaxes enough, he'll fall asleep. Sleep is about the only thing that will help him right now." Harry tossed the towel to Tony. "Go throw that in a potion soak, would you?"

Tony turned toward the laundry room as Harry went back out to the living room. John eyed him as he perched on the coffee table again, and Harry eyed John back from beneath his lashes, reaching out to rub John's knee again. His imagination all too easily supplied him with the sense that there was something unpleasant there, like he was touching something hard, sharp and slimy.

"You're a good kid," John murmured after a few minutes, slowly relaxing, eyes losing a little focus.

"I'm glad you think so," Harry told him with a little smile. "Hey, want to teach me a lesson, Mr. John? Take your mind off the pain?"

"Probably wouldn't be entirely coherent."

"That's okay. Let's review something I already know. How about the rules of conjuration? Nothing lasting can stay, right?"

"You don't have to talk to me like I'm about to lose consciousness and you have to keep me awake, Jame," John said with amusement. "I'm in pain, not going to pass out."

"Fine. Conjuration rules. Go for it."

"How about you tell me?"

"Don't feel like it. Dictator, remember."

John chuckled. "Fine. Can't conjure anything that won't last. Can't conjure food. Can conjure food substances for flavors, like spices and sauces, but the substance of it won't last, so it's like not having eaten it at all. Can't conjure anything actually living. Can conjure semblances of life of certain kinds, like snakes and lizards. But they're not real. Last only as long as the magic in them lasts. They can't eat. Can't reproduce. Other creatures of the same kind know they're not real. Can't conjure…"

Harry listened to John list things off, his remarks getting more and more rambling until he mumbled himself asleep. Just to be safe, Harry cast a monitoring charm on him, keeping an eye on his heart rate and temperature.

"Damn but we're teaching you a lot of weird stuff," Tony muttered from behind him.

Harry gave a start. "Where the fuck did you come from?"

"Around," Tony said vaguely.

Harry eyed him suspiciously. "I learned that from Hal, anyway."

"Makes sense."

"I'm going to figure you out one day, Tony. Just wait and see."

"Mmhm."

Harry turned back to John and returned to rubbing his knee. It seemed to help. In sleep, John looked tired and drawn and it worried Harry.

"He'll be okay," Tony reassured.

"I know."

"He will."

"I know."

"He's an adult. He knows what he's doing."

"Sometimes adults suck even worse than kids at taking care of themselves."

Tony ruffled his hair. "He'll be fine."

"I know. But… you can't help but worry about the people who're important to you."

"I know."

* * *

Laney's eyes widened. "What…?"

Harry laughed and held his arms out at his sides, twirling around. He was covered in different colored paint splotches, most of them on his chest and stomach and back, but there were also some on his arms and legs. "It's so awesome, Mom. I'm like a bizarre rainbow!"

Laney looked beyond Harry to the woods behind the house as Harry began to inspect his paint-covered self with a grin. Green was headed for them, splattered in paint just the same, though quite less liberally. At his slow, plodding walk, it'd take him a few minutes to reach them.

"It's called paintball, Mom," Harry remarked, drawing her attention back to him. He grinned widely. "You shoot _paint_ from a _gun_. Isn't that the craziest, coolest thing ever?"

Laney's eyes narrowed. "A gun?"

"But, like, not a real gun. Obviously. It's a special paint shooting gun. Super safe and stuff, really."

"A gun?"

"It's like a game, Mom. Green says that non-magical people do it all the time."

"A gun."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom, a gun."

"Hey, Laney," Green greeted once he was within a comfortable distance. "It's really not dangerous. Far less dangerous than his trainin' with wands and all that physical combat stuff he's always doin'."

"Stupid Akira," Harry muttered, rubbing his wrist even though he knew it'd been healed perfectly well for almost a week.

"There's protective clothing," Green continued, sliding his hands into his pockets. "And spells we put on a'top that, too, and that's overdoin' it." He shrugged a little. "Paintball's a non-magical thing. It's sorta like water guns, but with paint." He shrugged again. "We were just foolin' around."

"It was so much fun!"

"Don't you even dare come on this porch covered in paint, young man."

Harry stopped in mid-step with a snicker. "I don't have a wand… Green!"

Green pulled his wand and hit Harry with a cleaning charm.

"Hey, not cool." Harry studied his clothes. The paint was gone, but the clothes were left looking stained.

"It is paint," Green said dryly, waving the wand at himself and reducing his clothes to the same state. He studied his paint flecked wand for a moment before shrugging and shoving it back in his pocket.

"But it's magic!"

"And it's still paint."

Harry glared at Green's back as Green came onto the porch. "Mind if I head inside and clean up?"

"That's why we have a shower downstairs," Laney muttered, eyeing his clothing with distaste.

"It won't get on anything," Green reassured her with an easy smile.

"Better not."

"I promise it won't, ma'am."

"Go on, then."

Green crossed to the back door and then turned back to the still glaring Harry. "Hey, kid."

"What?"

"Before I forget to tell you, I won't be around next week."

"Aww, no exploding potion lessons?"

Laney groaned. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

Green chuckled. "We'll do that the week after. But next week I gotta head home for some stuff."

"What stuff? Where's that?" Harry asked.

"Family stuff. And home's in Georgia, up near the Blue Ridge Mountain area. It's real nice; like this place, sort of." He grinned. "You couldn't tell from the accent?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to miss the fact you're southern," Harry said dryly. "But it's not like I'm Suntree, who'd be able to, like, pinpoint the town you're from."

Green laughed. "He probably could, yeah."

"So you'll be back week after next?"

"Sure will. We can have the lesson on Friday."

"Sure- no, wait! We can't! Friday is Turtle day!"

Green gave him a blank look.

"Turtle day! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Second movie coming out on that Friday! Opening day! Turtle day!"

"Ah. Then I'll see you on Saturday."

"Yep. Oh! Wait! Don't shower yet! You want to come? You should come. To the movie. You should go to the movie with us. It's Turtles! Everyone needs some Ninja Turtles in their life. Say you'll come. Mom, can Green come? He'll be well behaved, I promise!" Green and Laney snorted. "And it'll be awesome fun. Can he come, Mom? Can he?"

"If you'd just stop asking for two seconds, I could answer," Laney told him.

"Okay. Two seconds. Can he? Here you go, two seconds, starting now."

Laney rolled her eyes. "He can."

"Awesome! You'll come, right? The Turtles want you to come, Green. Listen to the heroes in the half shell, they have turtle power."

"Well, who am I to say no to turtle power," Green remarked dryly.

"Awesome!" Harry gave a bounce. "All right, you can go shower now. You're allowed."

Green snorted. "How kind."

"Yep, that's me, Mr. Kind."

"Mr. One-of-a-kind is more like it."

* * *

"This is sweet!"

Green laughed. "You're not half as graceful on land as you are in the air."

Harry gave Green a quelling look.

"Just bein' honest." Green guided his dirt bike up to Harry's and stopped to tie back his hair. "What'cha lookin' at?" he asked, peering up at the cloudless blue sky above them.

"Where are we?"

"Still in Arizona. Its USAS owned land for miles. There's some farming and horses, but it's all a cover. About half the space really houses magical animals that aren't too dangerous, like winged horses. Space like this," he gestured around to the scraggly grass that stretched as far as they could see, "we use for various exercises, broom training, various firearms activities and other things."

"How'd you get my mom to agree to let me come out here?"

"I just told her we'd be riding bikes."

Harry looked away from the sky to stare at Green. "You dirty liar."

Green grinned. "I don't think so." He gave the dirt bike a pat. "We _are_ riding bikes."

"Yeah, but- she's going to flip when she learns about this."

"I don't think it'll be half so bad as all that."

"You haven't gotten to know my mom very well then."

"Don't worry about it."

"Hah! I'm not going to worry. You're the one that's going to get in trouble, not me."

"That's the spirit." Green pointed to an area of trees and shade some distance away. "Come on, let's head over there and take a break."

Green guided his bike around Harry's, keeping a watchful eye on him as he took off for the trees at a sensible speed.

"There's charms and stuff on the bike, isn't there?" Harry asked as they were getting off the bikes. "Because I'm riding that a heck of a lot better than I should be."

"Plenty of charms, yeah." Green sprawled out on the ground, back against one of the trees, and began digging into his backpack. "But you're doing better on that than you think you are. One of the bigger challenges to ridin' a dirt bike is understanding how to balance something that can go that fast. Being good on a broom goes a long way." He held up a bottle of cold tea questioningly and tossed it over at Harry's nod.

"Thanks." Harry plopped down on the grass and took a long drink. "But there're still plenty of charms."

"Sure. You'd have to try really hard to actually crash one of them starter bikes. At one point the ARP heads – Auror Ranch Property – thought the bikes were impossible to crash, but someone came along and proved 'em wrong."

"Ah. Nothing is foolproof for a sufficiently talented fool."

"But there're enough charms and other things on the bike to be perfectly safe for you."

"Cool." Harry leaned back to peer up at the sky through a gap in the branches. "You know… I occasionally have this strange dream of being on a flying motorcycle. There's a huge man and it's at night. That's all there is to it, really. Huge man, flying motorcycle, night sky."

"Recurring dream?" Green asked curiously.

"Guess so. It just pops up occasionally. When I was younger I had it more."

"Pretty odd."

"Most dreams are," Harry said with a laugh. "The other night I had a dream that I was on the ledge along a cliff in a cave, or… it was kind of like this sheer wall, really, inside a dark cave. I remember a lot of dark brown. But there was this sheer wall with a ledge jutting out of it halfway down, and behind me was a bubbling sea of lava that just stretched on and on. In the wall right in front of me was this crack big enough to walk through and there was a lot of bright light coming from the other side.

"I'd stand there for a while and then go through the crack and come out into this… it was like stepping into the country, sort of, but it was very… exaggerated. Like you'd imagine a country road with green grass behind wooden fences kind of thing in a kid's book, lots of bright color and all of that. So I'm walking down the road and… you know those singing chicken nuggets in the McDonalds commercials?"

Green raised his brows. "Yeah…"

"Well, they were there. And they sang to me. And then they'd ask me some sort of question and I'd have to answer it, and I never could. So they'd do something and I'd get thrown out of the country place back onto the cliff ledge. And then the lava would mock me. I'm not kidding, the lava would mock me. And I'd get up and go back into the country place and walk down the road and have the entire chicken nugget encounter again, right down to being thrown out to the mocking lava and then trying it again… and that's it."

Green began to laugh. "What the hell did you eat before bed?"

Harry snorted. "Damned if I know. Language, I know. Sorry."

"That's a crazy ass dream right there."

Harry shrugged and took another drink of the sweet tea. "And there were cows in the background. They seemed amused, but I could be wrong."

"Mocking lava and amused cows…" Green shook his head and began to laugh again. "Singing chicken nuggets…"

Harry shrugged again and tossed his bottle of tea at Green. "Give me a boost up?" he asked as he stood.

"Hm?"

"Boost up." Harry reached up for one of the thick lower branches on the tree, out of his reach by just enough.

Green rolled to his feet and provided Harry with a hand up, then stepped back to watch as Harry monkeyed his way up through the branches. "Don't go too high!"

"Trust me, I'm a professional!" Harry called back.

"A professional? A professional what?!"

"Just, you know, a professional!" He carefully slid out along a long branch about halfway up the tree and peered down at Green. "Wanna come up?"

"I stopped climbing trees when I was about fourteen and fell out of one and broke my arm in two places trying to impress a girl. She wasn't very impressed."

"Why'd you go and do that?"

"I'm going to blame the haze that was teenage hormones coupled with her great big… personality."

"Yeah, right, her personality. Not."

"And she had nice eyes."

"What color?"

"…That's enough out of you."

Harry grinned and continued his climb up.

"I'm not normally a nervous man, Jamie, but you're beginning to make me nervous!" Green called up after a while, standing further back from the tree to watch Harry's progress.

Harry waved to him and climbed up a few more branches until he found a nice crook to settle into. "The view is amazing up here! I'd love to fly this area some time!"

"I'm sure it can be arranged!"

"Awesome!"

"You can come down now!"

"I'm rolling my eyes at you!"

"Fine! If you fall and break your head open, don't expect any sympathy from me!"

"Fine!"

Green sprawled at the base of the tree again and dug into the backpack for a book of crossword puzzles. About ten minutes later he brushed a leaf off of the book and shifted to the right a little. Within seconds he was brushing a few more off and moving the book. When the next leaf fell he glanced up to find Harry grinning at him from a branch right above him. He dropped a handful of leaves on Green's head.

Green shook the leaves off. "Real mature."

"About as mature as climbing a tree to impress a girl."

"You coming down now?"

"Yep." Harry swung to a lower branch and then jumped to the ground. "And I didn't break my head open."

"Good for you."

Harry settled on the grass again and began to pick leaves and twigs from his hair.

"How on earth did you manage to get that much tree crap in your hair?"

"I am ninja awesome."

Green snorted and rolled his eyes. After a little while of watching Harry he put his crossword book away. "Speaking of ninjas, though… I've been wondering about something, kid."

"Hm?"

"You seem a bit too mature for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles…"

Harry frowned. "What's that mean?"

"You just seem too mature for it. That's all. Are your friends still really intensely into it?"

"I'm not… really intensely into it…"

Green raised his brows.

"So it's automatically immature if I happen to like something from my childhood even though I'm getting older?" Harry asked, crossing his arms. "But of course, if I stop liking it for a while and start to like it again, then I'm just being nostalgic and that's perfectly okay!"

"Bit of a touchy subject?"

"No." Harry uncrossed his arms after a moment and sprawled out on the grass, rolling over onto his stomach and kicking his feet in the air. "No. They just… they have meaning, is all."

"Meaning?"

"You'll laugh."

"I won't."

Harry eyed him.

"I promise."

"It's… kinda dumb."

"And climbing a tree to impress a girl isn't?" Green asked wryly.

"All right." Harry plucked at the grass a little. "You see… they're cool, right? The Turtles. And they're… see, they're training to be these super ninjas to keep the world safe, and that's entirely awesome. But they're also teenagers, and they act like teenagers, they get moody and they don't always handle responsibility well and they make bad decisions and get mouthy and they're young. But they're still entirely awesome. And I like that. I like seeing these completely, well, completely kick ass characters who are also kids who want to have fun…"

"Ah." Green smiled. "I can understand that."

"And also… also, you know, they're… _turtles_. They can't really be a normal part of society because people would look at them weird, would treat them differently. I kind of feel like that. The older I get, the more I understand this _Harry Potter_ thing, the more I know that I'll fit in with small groups, but I'll never really be able to just… _be_. So I understand feeling outside of the society that you… feel more than the normal responsibility for."

"That's not silly at all."

Harry smiled. "And also, the turtle thing, being turtles, I kind of also see it like this secret they have to hide. Part of what makes them so unique and awesome is exactly what they have to hide from people they don't trust. And I feel that way about my abilities. Covering them up. So I can really identify with that. And they also… they're not as good as they think they are, sometimes, and they're better than they realize at other times. I know that feeling." He reached out to gently pick up a beetle in the grass and study it.

"I think those are very well thought out reasons for liking the Turtles."

Harry carefully set the beetle down on his other hand before looking up at Green a little shyly. "And they're heroes, you know. They stand for something good. They do good. Little kids can look up to them. But the thing is…"

"The thing is?"

Harry shrugged a little. "It's stupid."

"Have I laughed yet?"

"But this really is stupid. I mean, really. Really stupid dumb."

"Try me."

"Fine. Kids can look up to Harry Potter, right? But who does Harry Potter look up to? And it's just… entirely pathetic, isn't it, that I'm fixated on these silly mutant turtles? Of all the possible role models in the world I have to pick the most retarded possible ones and-"

"I think it's a good, safe choice, actually," Green interrupted. "You described all the reasons you liked them. You're not going to find that in someone real. And real people have a habit of disappointing you. I think the Turtles are a fine choice."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Harry grinned.

"Ready to head back? Before Suntree has to come track us down?"

Harry laughed. "We can come back and ride again?"

"Of course."

"Great!"

* * *

"Jamie, you don't have to stare at me like that every time you see me."

Harry crossed his arms. "Just making sure you're all right."

"Just fine."

"Well, excuse me for not believing you," Harry grumped. "It was just a couple weeks ago that I seriously thought I was going to have to stun you and have Tony drag you off to a healer."

"I wasn't that bad," John told him mildly.

"You were."

"Jamie-"

"Don't you 'Jamie' me."

John put his newspaper down to study Harry seriously. "That really scared you, didn't it?"

Harry gave him a flat look.

"It was just my leg, Jamie."

"I wasn't scared."

"I was just in a lot of pain. Sometimes it hits me like that."

Harry stared at him.

"The healers say I'm doing very well. I'm not even using my cane to get around inside right now."

Harry crossed his arms more tightly.

"Jamie… come here." He gave the couch beside him a pat.

Harry didn't at first, but after several moments he shuffled over slowly, still looking vaguely cross. He settled on the couch beside John, facing him cross-legged. John reached out to give Harry's knee a squeeze.

"I have something to admit to you-"

"What?" Harry gripped his hand hard. "Is there something really wrong? Was-?"

"Jamie," John interrupted. "I'm fine. It was just my leg. What I have to admit to you is a good thing."

Harry nodded slowly but didn't let go of his hand.

"But I have a question first."

"Okay…"

"When you were helping me that day, when you were rubbing my leg, were you doing anything special?"

"No…" Harry said slowly.

"Sure?"

"Well…"

"Well?"

"I almost thought, well, it was like… it was weird. I almost thought I could feel something, when I was rubbing your leg. Like something hard and bad and slimy. Like, um… rotting magic?"

John's brows went up a little. "Rotting magic?"

"Not… really. But, like, something… off color. Not quite right. Like the magic was sick, but sort of in a way that can't be healed."

"And what did you do?"

Harry gave him a sharp look. "I did something, didn't I? That's why you feel better. That's why you woke up feeling good that day, not in very much pain at all. I did something. I really did feel something, didn't I?"

"You did." John gave his hand a squeeze. "So tell me what you did."

"I just- I don't know. It was like I could feel areas of… bad magic… Not like… I could feel areas of magic that just weren't right, they didn't belong, sort of… knotted up and twisted and slimy and hard. I thought I was imagining it, but… it was like, I couldn't get rid of it, but I could sort of unknot it and untwist it and sort of soften it and pull out the slime and stuff…"

"How'd you do that?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know; I just did it. I didn't really think of it as untwisting and softening and stuff. I was just… rubbing and really wanting your leg to stop hurting you, for the magic to stop being wrong, for it to stop causing you problems. So I was focusing on wanting it to stop making you feel bad, but I wasn't really focused on it doing something specific. I just wanted it to stop feeling sick."

"Think you could do it again?"

"Don't see why not." He shrugged.

"In front of a healer?"

Harry shrugged again. "Don't see why not. Gotta get Mom's permission, of course."

"Yes, of course. It'll probably be a month or two before my leg starts to bother me in more than twinges here and there, but I'd like to have you go along with me when I need to see my healer again."

"All right."

"Hey." John squeezed his hand. "Let's go do something fun today. No lessons."

"Like what?" Harry asked, perking up.

"I don't know. How about, hm… Movie and dinner?"

"The second Turtles movie?" Harry asked eagerly.

"How many times have you seen that by now?" John asked with amusement.

"Um. Just once."

"So you have seen it already. Didn't it open last weekend?"

"So?"

John laughed. "Go ask your Mom. And see if she wants to go."

"All right." Harry half rolled off the couch and to his feet and was halfway out the room when he dashed back to give John a quick, hard hug, and then he was all but running down the hallway. "Mom! Hey Mom! Turtles, Mom!"

* * *

"What the hell are you listening to?"

With a grin, Green looked up from where he was fiddling with the television. "Country music. Like it?"

"Um…"

"No?"

"I don't know. It's weird."

"Ow." Al crawled out from behind the television. "It's sure as hell not rock," he grumbled.

"What are you two doing?"

"Installing a magibox," Al answered, dusting himself off with a disgruntled look.

"Oh, honestly." Harry flicked his fingers at Al, vanishing the dust. "What's a magibox?"

Green stopped chewing on a thumb nail and went back to hooking up wires. "It's a cable box run on magic."

"What? How? Does my Mom know about this?"

Green chuckled. "Yes, she does. She was here when we first started settin' it up, but she decided to go out shopping with the girls."

"But how does it work? I mean, we've got electricity and a lot of other non-magical stuff and the television isn't magic and yeah…"

"I don't know how it works." Al shrugged, eyeing the television. "It just does. That's all that matters."

Green rolled his eyes. "TV shouldn't be that hard to figure there, kid. You already know that you can run non-magical stuff off magic, yeah?"

"Obviously."

"So there's the TV. And since the TV's not too complex as compared to a cable box and other things like it, you can use the same TV without havin' to replace it. As for the magibox, it's basically a cable box, but it's all magical and picks up the right magical frequencies. As for the shows, it's like a magical wireless radio, how they play non-magical music on 'em. The station gets the non-magical music and records it over to a magical format. Same thing for cable companies, they record shows and other things into a magical format and the box picks it up."

"That seems an awful lot of hassle and time and effort to play some magical channels and also have all the non-magical channels," Harry pointed out.

Green sent a grin over his shoulder. "Yeah, would be. But you got two things goin' in favor of it. Any guesses?"

Harry shook his head. "Not a clue."

"Travel. Magical means of traveling all over with barely any effort means that someone can advertise their business all over the country, not just in their own area. And people are more likely to remember a TV ad versus somethin' they see in a paper."

"Okay, that does make sense. Quite a lot of sense." Harry rolled his eyes. "Amazing how a little bit of advertising can accomplish just about anything."

Green snorted.

"Hey, it seems to be true. But what's the other thing going in favor of all that time and effort and converting to magical formats?"

"Quodpot."

"Oh, hey, I got this one," Al piped up with a grin. "Quodpot team owners would invest in anything that's going to spread the viewership to thousands of people, people who just might go out and buy tickets or team products or team sponsored stuff."

Harry gave Al a look. "Viewership?"

"Hey, it's a real word. I read books and stuff."

"Good for you, Al." Harry rolled his eyes. "But yeah, the sport thing does make sense. Does that apply to a lot of the big magical sports, or just Quodpot?"

"A lot of the big ones," Green answered after Al stared intently at the ceiling. "Quidditch has been muscling into it a lot in the last decade, trying to help boost the popularity of the sport."

"I bet you like Quodpot more," Harry told Green with a grin. "Things explode."

Green grinned back. "It's a sport; I like it. But anyway, ya'll are in a good spot here. A lot of places off in the middle of nowhere have to make do with the major shows that run all across the country, but lots'a little shows get left behind. You've got yourself two major networks right in range, what with Sedona bein' practically 'round the corner, magically speaking, and Phoenix being one of the major magical centers."

"Awesome."

"Your life seems to be a never endin' parade of awesome, with how often you say that," Green observed.

Harry grinned. "Because I _am_ the awesome."

Al snorted.

"So! Got the TV hooked up yet?" Harry asked. "This sounds interesting. I've never seen any magical shows before."

"You'll like them; there're lots of cool effects." Al snickered. "Just don't let your mom get hooked on Phoenix Rising."

"What's that?"

"Magical soap opera." Al made a face.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Does my mother strike you as the type to sit around watching soap operas, of all things?"

"You'll get lots of teaching channels," Green remarked before Al could open his mouth. "History and theory and such."

"Awesome!"

"Figured you'd like it." Green chuckled. "Some news channels, some cookin', some cartoons. We don't have as much variety with the non-magical channels, but it works out."

"Oh. Will my non-magical friends be able to watch TV here now?"

"Yep. There's an access code on the remote to get to the magical channels."

"More and more awesome."

"Figured you'd like it." Green flourished his wand at the magibox and then stepped back to study the setup.

"Who's idea was this?" Harry asked curiously.

Green grinned at him with a wink. "Figured you'd like it."

Harry found himself feeling a little extra pleased by the effort for no real reason and just grinned back.

"Let's watch some TV, yeah?" Green tossed the remote at him and Harry caught it on reflex.

"Sure!"

"Come on." Green dropped onto the couch, stretching his long legs out and patting the couch beside him. When Harry came over to sit next to him Green dropped his arm around him and gave his shoulders a friendly shake.

"Country music grown on ya yet?"

"Um. I don't know. I guess it's not bad."

With a chuckle Green waved his hand at the stereo and it shut off.

Al let out a sigh of relief and tried to shove the large television and entertainment center back with sheer force.

"Al, are you a wizard?" Harry asked dryly, snagging Green's wand to put the television back against the wall. Al stumbled and then tried to lean nonchalantly against the side of the entertainment center. "Good spell, Jame."

"You're a dork, Al."

"Yes, well…"

"Come sit down and watch TV." Harry studied Green's wand. "Man, do you ever clean this thing?"

"Eh." Green grabbed it and rubbed it with his shirt. The wand made a sputtery noise and Green tossed it onto the coffee table with a shrug. "I'll clean it later. The way it looks don't change the magic that comes out of it, though. And it's not like I eat with it or somethin'."

Harry gave him a look and then sighed. "You're such a guy."

Green snorted and stole the remote to flick through the channels. He stopped at something that had a lot of explosions and gun fire.

"Come on!" Harry stole the remote back and changed the channel. "I've got magic channels now. Watch Chuck Norris later." He studied the new remote, only seeing a couple of new buttons on it and nothing that made it obvious how to access the magical channels. "How do I work this?"

"Hm?"

"How do I work this? How do I get the magical channels?"

"Mm. Oh, you just push the button."

"What button?" Harry looked up to see Green staring at the television. A glance at the television made Harry look over at Al. Al was likewise transfixed by "Baywatch". "Oh, come on, you two." He changed the channel again.

"Hm?"

"How do I get the magic channels?" Harry asked again.

"Oh." Green took the remote. "You press these two buttons together and then this and here's your code."

"I wish the lifeguards at the Auror pool looked like Erika Eleniak," Al muttered. "I'd go swimming more often."

"So would I," Green agreed.

"You're such guys," Harry muttered.

* * *

"Mom! Did you know that Aurors are kind of like movie stars in the magical world?!"

"He exaggerates." Suntree opened the fridge to study the contents. "They're simply better known than their non-magical counterparts would be."

"They're like movie stars!"

Suntree pulled the ground beef from the fridge thoughtfully and set it on the counter. Laney looked up from painting her nails.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to fix dinner. Hamburgers."

"…Have fun with that."

Harry sat at the table and put his chin on his folded arms, watching Laney carefully brush the light pink polish on her nails.

"So, anyway – movie stars!" Harry sat up straight. "They really are! I was wondering why I kept seeing certain names in the magical papers like they were a big deal, but I never got around to asking. It's because the magical world has certain Aurors that are, like, really well known!"

"That much is true." Suntree set some potatoes to peeling with a flick of his hand and turned back to the ground beef.

"They're like legends! They're like Batman!"

"I thought they were movie stars?" Laney asked, lifting a hand to study her nails.

"They're like Batman movie stars!"

"I see."

"But no, really! Isn't that so cool, Mom?"

"Entirely."

Harry gave her a disgruntled look. "I'm not feeling the excitement here, Mom." He twisted around in his chair. "Suntree, tell her!"

"Big Aurors movie star Batman people so cool."

Harry gave Suntree's back a disgruntled look. "And I'm not feeling the excitement from you, either. Seriously, people."

"Batman movie stars," Laney said. "Go on."

Harry turned back around with a pout.

Laney leaned over to kiss his nose. "Go on, sweetie. I'm listening."

"Well." He eyed her. "Okay, it's not quite like movie star Batman. But they're really well known! It's like, well, if there's something going on and you hear that one of these legend names is connected to the case, then people just know it's being taken care of. These are names that the average magical person would just know. Even in other places! And especially other people in the business."

Laney fought down a smile at Harry's casual use of 'people in the business.' Behind Harry, Suntree gave Harry's back a fondly amused smile.

"How did you hear about all of this?"

"When we were in the caf today – which, Mom, it's so cool! It's a huge indoor garden with tons of seats everywhere and there're real restaurants all along the walls! But yeah, we were in the caf today and a couple of friends of Suntree's were passing by and joined us. More old timers," Harry said with a knowledgeable nod that caused Suntree to give him another fond look. "And they all started to talk about Kelliart – he's an Auror that's retiring, one of them legends – and then they started talking about the other legends, and it was so cool!"

Laney laughed.

"But, Mom, the coolest of all is Death Wish Davish."

"Of course," she said dryly. "With a name like that he would have to be the coolest of them all."

"He is. He is so completely and totally awesome, Mom! Suntree says he's got more successful assignments to his name than even some of the retired legends, and he's only been in the business, like, 30 years. And his case list has got some of the most dangerous and hard to catch people and groups! And he's got special abilities he won't talk about, too! Kind of like me. Isn't that awesome? That's completely awesome. And Suntree says that even a lot of other Aurors are completely in awe of this guy, and that he's super intense and no one wants to be on the business end of his wand when he's mad! And that they call him Death Wish because he devotes himself entirely to each assignment and doesn't hold anything back. He's not afraid of anything at all! Isn't that just so cool, Mom?! Isn't it?!"

"So cool," Laney agreed.

"Its way awesome, Mom! I'm gonna grow up and become a famous Auror one day! Everyone will know my name!"

Laney coughed. "Because they don't already know the name Harry Potter?"

"…Darn."

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't know your name." Suntree turned the water on to wash his hands.

"I find that, like, super surprising," Harry said dryly. "Considering you know everything else in the entire freaking world."

"Nope, don't know your name."

"Whatever." Harry watched Laney concentrate on her fingernails. "Hey, Mom. I'm not a girl or anything, but I don't think that stuff is supposed to be on your fingers…"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"Hey, Sunny, I'm a captain now!"

"Imagine me sending up fireworks and doing dances of joy as I stand here and shape hamburgers. Because I am. Inside."

"Whatever." Harry rolled his eyes. "Um, Mom?"

"I know." Laney wiped the side of her finger with a sigh. "I've never been very good at this."

"You should go get a manicure or something."

"A manicure?"

"Sure. Did you know they massage your hands and stuff? That's pretty awesome."

"How…?"

"Cam gets them sometimes when we're out. So of course I'm not going to just sit there bored."

"I see. Of course."

"You want some help with that, Mom?"

"Help with what?"

"Your nails. It's tons easier with magic."

"How do you- Cam again, I take it?"

"Uh huh." Harry reached out for the brush. "She taught me the spell. It's actually pretty complex for something so simple. But we have to vanish the stuff on your nails already."

"…Okay."

Harry made a shooing motion at Laney's nails and slowly the nail polish already there vanished. Once it had, Harry dipped the brush into the bottle and dabbed some of the polish in the center of a fingernail. He made a complicated twist, swirl, back, forth, wriggle, twitch, tap series of motions with the brush just over the nail and the polish spread itself out evenly on the nail.

"And see?" Harry asked proudly.

"Yes, quite." Laney studied her fingernail and then put her hand back on the table. "Knock yourself out."

* * *

Harry flipped through the magical channels absently, looking for something interesting to watch before stopping on Basic Theories to see what the topic was. Slouching down on the couch, he watched several commercials with amusement.

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"Who uses birds to send messages anyway?" Harry muttered, stretching out his foot to snag his pencil with his toes. It rolled away from him.

A dragon roared on the television and Harry glanced up with interest. He snorted when he saw it was just another commercial. "Dragon breath?" a well dressed man was asking the camera. "Try Dragon Mints!"

Harry half watched as the man went on about "completely kissable breath" and swept a woman off her feet into a kiss; fireworks went off over their heads in the shape of a roaring dragon spitting the flaming words 'Dragon Mints!' The pencil rolled away from his toes again and to the far end of the coffee table. On the television screen, the image pinched in the middle and the background changed from a midday street to a club, one of Harry's favorite magical rock bands playing from a floating platform.

Harry flicked to the next channel but found only commercials there, too – a broom insurance commercial was ending and a Sassy Sally's hair coloring potion commercial took its place. Harry switched back and tossed the remote onto the couch, leaning forward to snag his pencil. There was another dragon roar from the television and another favorite song began to play; Harry glanced up curiously and fell off the couch. "Ow…"

Pushing himself up off the floor, he rubbed the back of his head, staring at the television. The two laughing, kissing women were still laughing and kissing. Just as Harry managed to stop ogling, the image changed to a Quodpot player tossing a Quod, grinning invitingly at another man, and then they were kissing up against a wall, one of them winking, a tin of roaring Dragon Mints! in hand. Harry gaped, the pencil falling from his hand. It seemed like it was never going to end.

"Jamie!"

Harry yelped, scrambling for the remote, sending his notebook flying off the couch and a pillow knocking over his glass of water. He hit the volume instead of the channel button and the Dragon Mints! jingle blasted from the television for several seconds until he jabbed at the power button. The screen went black and quiet. It was quiet downstairs for several moments.

"Jamie?"

"Just- I- I- stuff dropped, TV, stuff!"

"You okay, Jame?"

"Great! Perfect! Wonderful!"

There was a snort from near the bottom of the stairs. "I'm going out," Laney called up. "Tony's checking the wards on the shed if you need anything."

"Okay!"

Harry listened closely and didn't relax until he heard the front door open and close. Only then did he sit back, heart pounding, to stare at the dark screen.

* * *

"Mom?" Harry peered around the half open bedroom door cautiously. "Mom?"

"Bathroom, Jame. Come on in."

Harry came in and moved to peer around the bathroom doorway. Laney was standing in front of the mirror putting on makeup.

"What do you need, baby?"

"Mom." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Always be my baby."

"I'm going to be eleven in a couple months, you know."

"So?"

Harry rolled his eyes again.

"So, what did you need?"

Harry watched her brush powder all over her face. "I don't know why you put all that stuff on, Mom. You look pretty without it."

She gave him a warm smile. "That's sweet of you to say, Jame."

"It's the truth. I don't think you need it."

She laughed. "Is that what you came in here for?"

"No." Harry shuffled his socked feet, studying the floor. "You need to sweep in here."

She laughed again. "I doubt that's what you came in here for."

"No. Um. Cammy mentioned to me that I should consider keeping my hands softer; that it'll help with some types of magic, and stuff."

"Okay." She gave him a puzzled look.

"She said I should use lotion or something. To keep my hands softer. She says soap dries out hands." He shuffled his feet again as he studied his hands. "Don't know. But, do you have any lotion or anything?"

Laney gave him an amused smile. "Nothing you'd like, baby."

"Why?"

"It all smells nice."

Harry frowned. "Well, I don't want my hands to smell bad- Oh, duh. You mean, like, it smells girly and stuff."

Laney bit her lip with amusement, nodding a little. "Yeah. It's girly and stuff."

Harry considered that. "So… the girly aside, does the girly stuff work any better?"

"It can, but not always."

"Hm. You have any less girly kinds?"

Laney laughed. "They're on my dresser. Go ahead and look."

Harry nodded and lingered a few more moments in the doorway, watching Laney draw under her eye with a black pencil. "Girl stuff is weird."

"You may be right."

With a shrug, Harry wandered back into the bedroom and over to the dresser. There were six bottles of lotion on the dresser and he wondered why anyone would need that many as he studied them. He could understand two bottles, in case the first ran out, but six…

"Lavender, coconut, raspberry vanilla… Raspberry vanilla? What's the point of that?" Harry shook his head. "French vanilla, apple, citrus… Hey, Mom."

"Yeah?"

"What's the difference between hand lotion and hand cream?"

"Um. Cream tends to be thicker as far as I can tell. I'm sure there's probably more to it, but I buy them for the scent."

"Oh." Harry picked up the apple one and opened it to take a sniff. He wrinkled his nose at the smell and put it back. "Way too sweet. Apples don't smell like that."

"You say something, Jame?"

"Talking to myself." He picked up the citrus one and took a cautious sniff. It was strong, but not half bad. And not too girly, really. He tried coconut next, putting the citrus a little off to the side. "Ooh! Mom, this coconut stuff smells really good!"

She laughed.

Harry stared at the bottle. "But it might smell too good," he mused. "It might make me hungry."

Laney snorted from the doorway.

"Well, you have to think about that stuff," Harry said a little defensively. "I don't want soft hands if it means I'm all hungry."

"You're something else, kid."

"I mean, it's not like I'd try to eat myself or anything, but, you know… Okay, yeah, that is kind of ridiculous."

"Glad to hear you think so."

Harry picked up the raspberry vanilla one out of curiosity and took a sniff. "Oh. Huh. Sounds weird, but doesn't smell too bad. I guess that's the point of that." He only needed to take a little sniff of French vanilla to know he didn't like it, and he spent a handful of moments trying to figure out if he liked lavender or not.

"Find a lotion?" Laney asked as she came completely out of the bathroom, brushing her hair.

"Not entirely. I like coconut, but it makes me hungry. But that might be because I haven't had breakfast." He gave Laney a pointed look and she snorted. "But this raspberry one is really nice, too."

"Take them both, try them out."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Cool! Thanks, Mom!" He dashed over to give her a hug and then scurried from the room, reading the back of the coconut lotion curiously as he tried to put on the raspberry. He managed it with a quick levitation charm.

* * *

"Hey, kid."

Harry looked Green over with amusement. "Man, I thought Al was the one with the bad fashion sense."

"What?" Green looked down at himself. "Nothing wrong with this."

"Green… You're wearing jungle camo pants with a bright blue shirt. And you have Cheetos crumbs and stains all over your shirt." Harry made a brushing motion with his hand and the Cheetos crumbs disappeared. "Well, at least the crumbs are gone."

Green shook the bag of Cheetos with a grin. "Cheeeeetooos. You know you want one. Give in to the Cheetos, Jamie."

"You are a major dork." Harry came over to sprawl beside Green on the couch and grab a handful of Cheetos. "What'cha doin'?"

"My magibox is on the fritz for some reason." Green began to munch on Cheetos again. "Can't get it straightened out. And there's a huge Quidditch match on. Your mom said I could watch here."

Harry stared at the television. "Then why are you watching football?"

"Because I'm a lucky bastard. I thought I'd missed this game. Damn magibox again, not recording my sport shows. But nope, just happened to change the channel during a commercial and there it was, my football game. So I'm switchin' back and forth." Green put his socked feet up on the coffee table. Harry sighed to see they didn't even remotely match. "Too bad your mother would probably kill me if I had a beer."

"Gross."

"The fine things in life, kid."

"Are you getting orange Cheetos crap on my remote control?" Harry asked severely.

"No."

"Are you licking your fingers clean and then handling my remote?"

"…No."

"Ugh. Give me that remote." Harry hit it with a cleaning charm and then a second for good measure. "You're not allowed to touch this when you eat. That's the new rule."

* * *

"Didn't Tony come with us?" Harry asked, interrupting John's comment.

Suntree glanced around. "He appears to have disappeared again."

"How?"

Suntree shrugged. "We all have our quirks."

"I'm behind you."

Harry gave a start and turned a glare on Tony. "You weren't ten seconds ago."

"I am now."

"You're irritating beyond belief."

"Hm. You said that about your waffles today."

"They were, too."

"Mr. Kigg?"

John looked up at the nurse. "Here."

"We're ready for you."

John got up, using his cane. Harry trailed after him, glancing back at Suntree.

"I'll be waiting for you here," Suntree told him, settling back with a magazine.

Harry nodded and skipped ahead a few steps to catch up with John. "Tony disappeared again."

"I think he does it to irritate you," John told him.

"Well, it's working," Harry muttered.

John chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"In here, please." The nurse led them into a large exam room and John sat down on a padded bench that looked like a more comfortable version of an exam table.

Harry watched curiously as the nurse ran a series of pre-exam spells, checking temperature, blood pressure and other sundries. He tried to memorize some of the more unfamiliar spells.

"Healer Mirim will be with you shortly," the nurse said at last, leaving them.

"Come here." John gave the padded table a pat and Harry sat down next to him, sitting on the edge so his feet were flat on the floor.

"It might be an Animagus form," John said.

"What?"

"Tony. Always just disappearing and reappearing. He might have a small Animagus form; a bug of some kind."

Harry 'hmphed', but considered it. "Maybe. He's sure annoying enough for it," he grumped, then shrugged. "I know he's got a wolf form. He came into my room the other day and took over my bed."

John laughed. "Did he now?"

"Yeah." Harry picked at the edge of a band aid on his arm. "I don't think he gets much sleep at night," he confided. "I've seen him asleep in a chair in the living room more than once. You think there might be something wrong?"

"You should ask him."

"Yeah, I guess I should."

The door opened and an older woman came in, wearing healer scrubs with an open healer robe over them. Her name tag read Catherine Mirim.

"Cathy," John greeted warmly.

"John. And this is Mr. Potter?"

Harry gave her a small smile. "Jamie, ma'am."

"Pleasure to meet you, Jamie." She held out her hand and he shook it. He liked her immediately when she gave him a real handshake. "Now let me get set up and go through the usual stuff…" She headed over to the low counter near the door and sat down on a wheeled stool to open a thick medical chart.

Harry listened as she went through a list of questions, still sitting beside John on the table. As John talked about the ups and downs of the past few months, how much of what potions he took, when and how much his leg bothered him, his sleep patterns, eating habits and a whole variety of other questions, Harry found himself shifting closer and closer to John until he was leaning into his side. John put an arm around him, giving him a little squeeze.

"Very good," Cathy said at last. "This is pleasing. I'm going to go put this information in and get more potion prescriptions written for you while you change."

John nodded.

Harry gave him a curious look once she left. John stood with a chuckle, limping to a cabinet. "Unless I want her to vanish my clothes, I need to change."

"Oh." Harry shuffled a little uncertainly, turning to study a chart as John changed. "I had no idea you had so many problems with your knee…"

"What, all those questions?" John asked, voice muffled briefly.

Harry nodded, then after a moment added a, "Yes."

"Some of the questions are just there because they sometimes apply. It's not as bad as those questions make it sound." There was a quiet shuffling noise. "You can turn around now, Jame," John said with amusement. "Though why you felt the need to stare at the wall in the first place, I can't imagine. You don't seem to be shy in stripping down yourself."

Harry shrugged, turning around. He stopped short in surprise.

"Expecting one of those embarrassing gowns open in the back?" John asked with amusement. "Walking around with your butt hanging out and getting uncomfortable drafts?"

Harry nodded, studying John's clothing. They looked like scrubs, but the material was thinner; it was cloth, but it almost looked like thick paper, making Harry think of something easily disposable.

"Magic makes it easy to get around the problems that make those gowns necessary." John sat back down on the padded table just as the door opened again and Cathy came back in.

"Excellent." She pulled a remote from a shelf and with a couple button presses had raised part of the flat table so John could sit back against it, his legs flat on the rest of the table. "I expect you'll be most comfortable sitting on the table, young man. Just settle wherever is most natural for you to be touching his knee."

Harry nodded and carefully settled cross-legged beside John's shins. John gave him a grin and Harry couldn't help but grin back as the table rose up in the air so that it was high enough for Cathy to stand nearby.

"I'll do my usual exam and then we'll get started with the other stuff."

Harry nodded again and watched her closely as she began to cast spells. These were done silently with a wand, so Harry concentrated on the feel of the magic more than the wand movements.

"You'd think you were my bodyguard for the day," John murmured with amusement. "The way you're watching her, like you're ready to stop her from attacking."

Harry snorted, glancing over at John briefly before looking back to the complex, unfamiliar wand movements. A sudden jabbing motion a couple dozen seconds later did have Harry tensing and almost reaching for a wand he didn't have on him, though. John chuckled softly.

"And now that that's done," Cathy said, drawing Harry's attention back to her. She made another jabbing motion and the left pants leg vanished from the mid-thigh down, revealing a heavily scarred knee. Harry gasped.

"Never seen his knee before?" Cathy asked with confusion.

Harry shook his head.

"Whatever he does, he's always done it right over the pants."

"Really? Cloth tends to dampen the effects just slightly. And it's already wandless…" She gave Harry a speculative look.

Harry gave her a wide-eyed innocent look in return. "Yes?"

"Nothing. Let me just cast some observation spells here…" She flicked her wand several times this way and that, then nodded, tucking her wand into a pocket and pulling out a pair of glasses. "Go ahead."

Harry suddenly felt nervous, but with a quick swallow he stifled it and rubbed his hands together, studying the scarred knee, not quite sure where to begin.

"This would probably be easier if we covered the knee," John suggested.

"No. This is fine. It doesn't bother me. I'm just not sure how to start…"

"Why don't you just do like you always do," John suggested.

Harry nodded slowly, reaching out to carefully rest a hand over the knee. After a few moments he closed his eyes, ignoring the strange feel of twisted, scarred skin beneath his palm. Instead, he tried to find that feeling he remembered from before, that hard, slimy, sharp, wrong, unpleasant feeling. It didn't take much to find it once he started to focus, and when he did, he pressed his other hand to the knee, eyes still closed, concentrating on the feel of the magic as he wished away the pain and wrongness.

This time he paid attention to the feel of what he was doing, and after several false starts and restarts, managed to sort of consciously guide it. It was messy and he knew he was releasing more magic than he was actually using, but he did have a little bit more control of it. He still had no idea what he was doing, though.

There were some shifting, fluttering, scratching noises trying to distract him, but he forced the noises from his mind, focusing entirely on his magic and what he was doing. He trailed his fingertips over the scars gently as he followed the feel of magic inside of them. It wasn't in the least bit pleasant.

"Poisoned," he whispered. "Not rotten. Poisoned. Leeching." He frowned a little. "Aggressive."

"Jamie," John said quietly after a brief time. "Jamie."

"Hm?"

"You can stop now."

He slowly pulled his hands away and opened his eyes. John gave him a smile that looked both weary and more relaxed than Harry could ever remember seeing.

"Astonishing."

Harry looked over at Cathy. She was glancing back and forth between some papers and John's knee.

"Astonishing."

"Hm?"

"I'm… not quite sure what you did. It looked like you were manipulating the magic itself, but… that requires deep trance and years of training!"

"Or being Jamie," John said with dry amusement.

"It's like…" She studied him closely. "Can I ask you to cast some magic for me?"

He shrugged. "Wandless?"

"Yes, that's fine."

He shrugged again and glanced around the room, then waved his hands at John's clothes, straightening them out and smoothing the wrinkles from them. He straightened a couple pictures with little stabilizing nudges and tied one of his shoes.

"Very good," she murmured. "That's enough."

Harry dropped his hands to his lap. He saw that John had pulled a sheet up over his knee.

"Your magic appears to be very stable," Cathy said at last, pulling his attention back up and over to her. "Very aggressively stable magic."

"What's that mean?"

"I'm not quite sure. I'll get in touch with you after I get a chance to study all these results."

Harry nodded.

"But…"

"Yes?"

"Would you be willing to continue to help John out?"

"Of course!"

Cathy laughed a little. "Yes, of course. Of course." She removed the glasses and tucked them back in her pocket. "I think…"

"Yes?"

"You should get some training for this ability of yours."

"Oh. I don't know. You'll have to talk to Suntree, he's out in the waiting room, and he has to talk to my mom."

"Of course. Well." She turned to make some notes in John's chart. "I'll leave you to get dressed again, John, and then I'll walk out with you two to talk to Suntree." She closed the chart and gave them both a smile, eyes lingering on Harry before she left the room.

"Feeling okay, Jame?"

"Me? Sure. You?"

"Great." John grinned. "Better than great."

"Good." Harry nodded in satisfaction. "Now get dressed. Shoo."

John laughed and slid off the table to get dressed, cane leaning unneeded against the wall.

* * *

And for something a little new… sneak peek at the next chapter!

* * *

Harry slumped further in the waiting room chair and studied the shelves of books across from him. He snorted a little to himself at the sign on top of the bookshelf: Property of Merisma Center of Healing. We will not be held responsible for any curses inflicted upon removal of books from this premises. Have a good day.

Harry caught Suntree's eye and gave him a questioning look. Suntree shrugged.

"So… I come for my yearly check up and for those weird reading-magic lessons… How is it I'm stuck in the waiting room while the healers prod at Tony?"

"You had your check up and lesson. Tony started to sneeze orange while you were in there."

"I've never heard of a sickness that causes someone to sneeze orange. Leave it to Tony to catch something not real."

Suntree chuckled. "Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"Have you heard of it?"

"No."

"There you go. It doesn't exist."

"Just because I haven't heard of it-"

"Yes it does mean it doesn't exist."

"Your insistence that I'm omniscient is endearing, though misguided."


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: Eee! Happy, happy!

Betas: Megan, Jynx67 and Madam Whitbrook. Thanks!

AN: **Need beta** for story plot & flow, etc. **Review responses link** found in profile.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 27

* * *

Harry folded his arms over the back of the couch and studied Tony. He was sprawled in one of the living room chairs, slumped to the side, and looked to be deeply asleep.

"How was your last day of class?" Tony asked after a handful of moments, lashes not even fluttering.

Harry shrugged. "Okay, I guess. It was the last day of class. Guess that makes this summer eve."

Tony snorted and straightened up slowly, opening his eyes.

"Tony…?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you?"

"Sure. Want to go out back? Nice day out."

"Sure."

Harry waited for Tony to get up before following. Once outside, Tony paused and Harry overtook him, heading for the fort. He sprawled out on the warm wood of the fort, just inside the shadow of one of the towers. Tony climbed up to sprawl out beside him.

"What's on your mind?"

"Well… I noticed that you seem to fall asleep a lot. Just randomly throughout the day. I was sort of wondering why; if there was something wrong…"

Tony smiled reassuringly. "No, there's nothing wrong. It's just something I do."

"Oh."

"From my childhood."

"Oh."

"You can ask."

Harry gave him a smile. "You can tell."

Tony chuckled and dropped a stone on Harry's chest.

"I wish you'd quit picking my pockets," Harry sighed, picking up the stone to study it again. It was a simple thing he'd found that morning, speckled gray, rounded, smooth, and flattened on one side.

"I'm an orphan," Tony told him after a moment with a vague smile. "I don't have any memory of my parents or any relatives at all. I was homeless." He shifted to fold his hands behind his head. "My first memories are of a woman, definitely not related to me in any way. She was a pale woman, I remember that clearly, pale but unattractively flushed from drinking, always wearing a harsh expression. She seems ancient in my memories, but I've learned since joining the USAS that she was only in her twenties." He gave a little snort. "That's what living on the streets will do to a person, age them."

Harry sat up slowly, shoving the stone back in his pocket as Tony paused, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I don't know how I came to be with her. My earliest memory is probably when I'm somewhere around six; she was taking care of me by then. I have no memory of anyone before her. No person or place. Though when I say taking care of me, I mean she used me for sympathy when begging, trying to appeal to the better nature of people. Most of the money she'd get would go right into cheap liquor, but when we couldn't scrounge up food from the usual places, there was usually just enough money left to get something from somewhere."

"Usual places?"

"There were some soup kitchens, missions, other places that help. Otherwise, it's picking up whatever you can, wherever you can." He reached out to ruffle Harry's hair. "The less said there the better, wildcat. But those are basically my first memories. Time is harder to pin down at the beginning, but I was probably with her a couple years before she was picked up by the police. No idea why. I never saw her again. I attached myself to a small group of kids, most of them runaways; that's where I learned how to pickpocket. And that's what got me picked up by the state and put into foster care."

Tony held up the speckled gray stone to study it. Harry rolled his eyes and didn't even bother to wonder how Tony had gotten it from his pocket.

"In short, 'cat, I was better off on the streets. I'm sure some kids are better off in foster homes, but the best of my experiences with them was the couple that kept us kids simply for the money from the state. We had a roof over our heads, clothes to wear and food to eat; otherwise, they pretty much couldn't be bothered with us. It was after a series of abusive foster homes that I ran back to the streets. I was ten or eleven at the time. That's where I stayed, on the streets. The non-magical authorities tried to pick me up again, but I'd discovered magic by then. I had no idea what it was, of course, but I knew I had some sort of special gift. I could slip away unnoticed when people were looking for me, an ability that would develop into being able to stand right in front of someone and not be noticed." Tony gave Harry a slyly amused look. "That's served me quite well."

"Oi." Harry gave him a wounded look and flicked his shoulder.

Tony laughed. "Yes, that's how I'm suddenly there and not there, even when you only glance away for a moment."

"I got your number now," Harry told him.

Tony grinned. "You might have my number, wildcat, but there's not much you can do when I'm doing it. There's no way of even knowing I'm doing it most of the time."

"I'll find a way," Harry muttered. "Just wait and see."

"If anyone can, it'd be you."

Harry gave him another look.

"But this isn't getting your question answered." He ruffled Harry's hair again. "Here I just meant to give you some background to help explain my sleeping habits and you're getting the abridged story."

"I don't mind."

"Well, as to your question – no, there's nothing wrong. I just have trouble sleeping more than three or four hours at a time. And I'm a very light sleeper. While I can fall asleep within minutes, almost any time and any where, the problem is that just about anything can wake me up. Even if I go back to sleep once I've figured out what woke me, it's still a disruption."

"Oh. So… because you can't sleep through the night without waking up, you tend to nap a lot?"

"More or less. And that's why I tend to fall asleep randomly. There's nothing wrong and it's nothing to worry about."

Harry nodded.

Tony studied him. "Want to hear more about my background. You seemed interested."

"Yeah, I am. If you want to tell me."

"The rest of the story is pretty simple. I might not've had any idea what magic was or what I was doing, but I sure took advantage of this new skill. I knew well enough by then not to talk about it. That's how I developed such well controlled wandless magic; there wasn't a pocket I couldn't pick or a place I couldn't get in or out of. That's what got me into trouble. The local magical law enforcement couldn't keep track of me, but they knew someone was using magic to steal and they were determined to get me." He snickered. "Especially after I picked the pocket of one of their people working undercover without realizing who it was."

"That'll do it," Harry said with a snicker.

"So local admitted defeat after a short while and they called in regional, and regional came close to grabbing me a few times, but it's hard to keep 'hold of someone who disappears right in front of your eyes. Regional completely bypassed federal law enforcement and called in the Aurors." Tony grinned, looking a little pleased with himself. "You'd think they wouldn't bother the Aurors for a petty thief, but I'd become a real concern. Petty thief I might be, but my ability to wriggle away from the best of their law enforcement was the cause of quite a lot of concern."

Harry laughed. "I bet."

"The Aurors finally got their hands on me when I was around sixteen. They'd pretty well decided I was someone older, well trained, a real criminal with a dark past to hide." Tony sniggered a little. "They were so perplexed when they snagged a mouthy sixteen-year-old with no history in the magical world that I almost wriggled away from them, but they managed to keep track of me long enough to grab me again." Tony sat up, rubbing the smooth stone between his fingers. "They learned more than enough about me shortly after. They weren't keen on releasing me back to the streets, but they weren't thrilled with putting me away for thievery, so they offered me some options. I was more than fine with leaving all the street crap behind."

"Circumstances notwithstanding-"

"Ooh, big phrase," Tony interrupted with a grin.

"Shut up." Harry stuck out his tongue. "As I was saying, becoming an Auror with your history seems a little bit hard to believe. I mean, you did have a history of crime and stuff."

"Ah, yes, that issue." Tony leaned back on his hands. "The USAS takes the view that if they've got their claws in us, then at least they know where we are and what we're up to. Some of the best agents in the USAS come from the most unlikely backgrounds. You'd damn well better be clean and straight as an Auror, but where you come from is another story. And the fact is… well, we actually have to give up a fair amount of personal privacy as an Auror. They have Veritaserum cocktails – heard about those?"

"Yeah. Just recently, actually. You can get around Veritaserum with Occlumency and various antidotes, but the cocktails include drug mixes that cancel out any antidotes and make it impossible to focus enough to put up Occlumency shields and stuff, right?"

"That exactly. The joys of mixing Potions and chemistry. Well, you're well aware that as an Auror, as a matter of course, at least once a year they're going to call you in without any warning and dose you with that, and that's pretty much it. They can ask you anything they like. And they can do it as often as they like, no explanations."

Harry gave him a wide eyed look. "Are you serious? That seems kind of…"

"Invasive? Hm." Tony shrugged. "That wasn't always the policy. Back in the beginning, the USAS was more like the Aurors from Europe. They were highly specialized to go after the darker elements of society, but they were still just another law enforcement agency. But we hit some problems with corruption and betrayal, and someone high up decided that was it, this country needed an authority above reproach, people you could trust no matter what.

"Truth is, kid, back in the wild days of America, we were almost getting to the point where the magical world was becoming worlds. Law enforcement was almost entirely regional and local, nothing that could reach coast to coast, and the law enforcement groups were territorial. You commit a crime in one territory, chances were that once you'd crossed into the next, you'd get away. In some areas, the law enforcement was little more than a group of thugs. We had some weak Magical Presidents and they didn't help the situation at all."

"So what happened?" Harry asked as Tony's pause grew.

"Nothing kicks a country in the ass like an assassination of a President."

"No way…"

"Yep. And the secret service was involved-"

"No. Way."

"Unfortunately." Tony nodded a little. "That was the last straw; that's where the corruption and betrayal hit its peak. The MVP stepped up, magical Vice President-"

"Yeah, I know."

"And he demanded all existing Aurors be thoroughly questioned. The force was cut in half at the end of it and there were a slew of new rules and regulations governing the USAS. And it's only tightened over the years. The government had to regain control and they had to do it quickly. The USAS had to regain trust and they had to do it even more quickly to prevent the country from cracking apart.

"That's when the USAS was given the highest law enforcement power in the country and the organization became answerable only to the President. We also expanded the duties of the USAS and started pulling in people that you'd normally see in another department, like the Unspeakables. The USAS pretty much decided to get anyone that could be a danger and make sure that they couldn't run off and cause trouble, hence why people like myself get in fairly easily. Someone with a questionable past doesn't have to be excluded from consideration, not when you have mandatory cocktail questioning, yearly psych evaluations, home inspections, communication monitoring, etcetera."

"But how…?"

"Why does anyone put up with that sort of treatment?"

Harry nodded, shivering a little. "I don't know if I want to be an Auror here now…"

"It's not as bad as it sounds, wildcat. It… it's a respected position to be in. We're a damned fierce force now. The USAS can get the job done without a ton of red tape. And it's a tough life, but they take care of us. One of the highest paying positions in America, best benefits, free education at any level… It gets into you, I guess. You start off as a Class One, but for a lot of us, it gets into the blood and it becomes your life and that's who you are… It becomes something you can't not do."

Harry nibbled on the edge of his thumbnail, considering that with a faint frown.

Tony nudged him. "It's not like they're always hovering over you, breathing down your back. It sounds invasive, but most of us barely notice the restrictions. Do any of the Aurors you know seem overly bothered by it?"

Harry shook his head slowly.

"For a lot of us, kid, it's the best thing that's ever happened to us. I mean, me? Where the hell would I have ended up if they hadn't been there? I had no education, no magical training, no normal socialization, and there would have come a day when I couldn't get by with small thievery. Now here I am sitting with you, successful, educated, and happy. So what if they get to question me about anything they want? I don't have anything to hide. And as far as I'm concerned, a lot of law enforcement organizations, and hell, just any organization of authority could do with psych evaluations on a regular basis."

"Yeah, I guess…" Harry frowned a little. "What's a Class One?"

"A lot of Aurors just have basic Auror duties, hunting down the criminal element and investigations, things like that. Class One. It's easier to have a family as a C1 field agent. They're more likely to spend time in the offices and they tend to only have assignments in their regional area instead of being sent all over the country. C1 agents almost never have to leave the country on assignment. The job is just as dangerous at times, but the danger isn't as frequent."

"Is there a Class Two?"

"Mmhm. C2 agents are more like roaming agents. They have more specialized skills, something they can do, or a background that gives them an edge most people don't have. And it's hard to have family as a C2 because you live almost assignment to assignment, from one end of the country to another. It's not that a C2 agent is necessarily given the more dangerous assignments, but in general, any assignment that's going to require you to relocate during the course of it means its going to be more dangerous. You're dealing with someone either fleeing or a part of a widespread network or a for-hire professional, things like that."

"Huh." Harry eyed him. "Are you a C2 agent then? Am I allowed to know that?"

Tony laughed. "The classes are purely an in-house designation. A USAS field agent is a USAS field agent as far as the public and media are concerned. So don't say anything about that to anyone."

Harry nodded.

"As for you being allowed to know…" He shrugged. "It's something they prefer outsiders not to know. But you're hip deep in the USAS. You've been in more restricted areas than most Aurors. I think you're safe."

Harry laughed a little, feeling a little special and pleased by that.

"Yes, I'm a C2 agent." Tony eyed him. "I can see you're trying to figure out everyone else now."

Harry gave him an almost sheepish nod. "Yeah. That's their business, I take it?"

Tony shrugged. "Don't see why knowing it would hurt. The ones I know, at least." He grinned. "Let's see how much you know about your Aurors."

"My Aurors, huh?"

"Practically are, kid."

Harry laughed. "Potter's Aurors. That sounds pretty cool. I have my own Aurors. They're Pottery Aurors!"

"That they are… we are."

Harry grinned in delight.

"So? Wanna see how well you know your Pottery Aurors?"

"Yeah, sure." Harry pulled his legs up to his chest and folded his arms over his knees. "Hm. I think…"

"Yes?"

"Kathy would be C1?"

"Excellent, yes. What makes you say that, out of curiosity?"

"Well, she's around a lot. She seems to spend a fair amount of time at home. And as far as I know, she doesn't have any special or odd abilities."

"Very good reasoning. Go on."

"Well… Al would probably be… C2?"

"What makes you say that?"

"He's got that special ability to work with air-based magic. He does sound casting and warding and stuff like that. And I know he travels a lot for his warding."

"That's right. Now, Al's actually considered a C3 as well. A C2-3. He's a part of a sub-group within the USAS: the warders."

"So I take it that… most C3 people are also considered C2?"

"Almost without exception, yes. How about Cam?"

Harry considered that, watching Tony turn the stone over and over. It almost seemed to be changing, but Harry couldn't be quite sure. "C1…?"

"Because?"

"I don't know. I just can't see anything very special about her. And she doesn't seem to travel a lot or have a lot of dangerous things she goes off to do."

"Good. You're right. And Suntree?"

"C2," Harry said immediately.

"My, that was quick."

"He's Suntree," Harry said, as if that were obvious. "He knows everyone and everything and he can't talk about most of the stuff he does. _And_ he's the one that gets called away most often when we're visiting the USAS headquarters."

"Quite right. And you're right, of course. Terry?"

Harry considered that. "I'm going to take a leap here… I bet he's another C2-3. I mean, he's obviously got tons of training, and while he doesn't seem to have any extra special skills, he also travels a lot as a part of his job. And he leaves the country. But his being a bodyguard to the First Family means he's a part of a sub-group, right? An extra special sub-group."

"Yes, exactly. You're getting the hang of this. How about Green?"

"C2. I mean, come on, he's the weapons and explosives guy. He blows shit up. He's got to be C2."

"And that he is; that he does. And as for Aki, I'd hazard a guess that's she's a C2, but I don't actually know for sure." Tony held out the stone. It had been transfigured into a howling wolf.

"Awesome!"

"So have I eased your concerns?"

"Yep."

"Have any questions?"

"No. Can't think of any, at least."

"All right."

"Well, actually, how'd you become a part of the USAS? That was just one of the options they offered?"

"When the USAS was offering me options, I hadn't had any magical training or schooling, and I was rather rough and tough and not at all likely to get on with people my own age or be able to keep up with them, so the USAS arranged a tutor for me. Once I'd been brought up to a certain standard according to the USAS, over three, long, intense years, let me tell you, the USAS just out and out offered me a non-field agent position. Aside from my ability to vanish, I also had plenty of knowledge of the streets. I accepted, of course.

"Frankly, I needed the job. At least until I managed to find something else somewhere. I hadn't actually planned on staying with the USAS very long, but the USAS does tend to find ways of sucking us in. I can't say I mind. I enjoy what I do. And who I get to meet."

Harry grinned. "So that's why you're hanging out here every time I turn around?"

"More or less, yes. Your mother doesn't mind us being here. She actually seems to like having us around. She knows she's safe here, but I think having one of us around makes her feel more secure."

"Huh. That makes sense."

"And since I like being here, I drop by a lot. It feels nice being a part of a non-work group. I imagine it's a little like having a family."

Harry studied him seriously before clambering into Tony's lap.

"Hey now," Tony said with amusement, arms falling around him and shifting him into a more comfortable position. "You're going to be too big to do this soon."

"Nope."

Tony chuckled and hugged him.

"And it's not 'a little like having a family'," Harry told him seriously. "It is having family. I don't have any blood family left. None worth anything, anyway. But I have tons of family. Family goes beyond blood. I have Mom and I have Suntree and I have Kathy and you and everyone else. Except Aki. She's a scary bitch. And I'm working on Green."

Tony laughed. "And the thing that amazes me, kid, is that you call Aki a 'scary bitch' to her face, and yet you won't say the word 'damn' around your mother."

"Mom has the spoon. Way more powerful than scary, man hating bitchness of doom."

Tony laughed again.

"Anyway, as I was saying – you're family. It's not almost like family, it is family. You're our family. We invite you over for birthdays and Christmas and Thanksgiving. The entire bodyguard thing aside, we want you and everyone else with us when we go on trips. You're all family. And I think I'm a damned lucky kid because I've surely got the best family in the entire world."

"I'm family, huh?" Tony said quietly.

"Absolutely. You're family. Family is being there when other people need you and caring about them and what they think and wanting the best for them and being dependable and knowing you can depend on them back. Family is knowing you have a place you can go when you're feeling down or when you're happy or anything. Family is knowing you can scream at each other and stuff, but still be concerned for the people you care about, even if you can't stand being in the same room with them for a while. Family is knowing there's a chair just waiting for you to take a nap in," Harry said with a grin. "Family is what you make of it. Family is respecting each other and trusting each other and believing in each other and loving each other. So you're my family. And you can't do nothin' about it."

Tony curled his fingers through Harry's hair gently. "From that description… you're my family, too. You and your mom and just about everyone, I guess."

"Good." Harry hugged him tightly. "And I know Mom completely agrees with me."

Tony smiled into his hair. "Never really been able to claim a family before. It'll take some getting used to. But I think I like it."

"And so that means you're going to be here for Christmas and all of that stuff from now on, right?"

"Definitely."

"Good. Because family is family," Harry told him. "Family is."

"Family is."

* * *

Harry slumped further in the waiting room chair and studied the shelves of books across from him. He snorted a little to himself at the sign on top of the bookshelf: Property of Merisma Center of Healing. We will not be held responsible for any curses inflicted upon removal of books from this premises. Have a good day.

Harry caught Suntree's eye and gave him a questioning look. Suntree shrugged.

"So… I come for my yearly check up and for those weird reading-magic lessons… How is it I'm stuck in the waiting room while the healers prod at Tony?"

"You had your check up and lesson. Tony started to sneeze orange while you were in there."

"I've never heard of a sickness that causes someone to sneeze orange. Leave it to Tony to catch something not real."

Suntree chuckled. "Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"Have you heard of it?"

"No."

"There you go. It doesn't exist."

"Just because I haven't heard of it-"

"Yes it does mean it doesn't exist."

"Your insistence that I'm omniscient is endearing, though misguided."

Harry gave him a cheeky smile before getting a little more serious. "Tony has been kind of off the last couple days. Not quite as up to running around in the backyard and stuff. I hope he's okay."

"I'll go check on him. Can I trust you alone in the waiting room for five minutes?"

"No. I'm going to go start ripping pages out of books and gnawing on chairs and causing general havoc and mayhem."

"Glad to hear it." Suntree pushed away from the wall and left the waiting room. Through a window, Harry could just make out Suntree stopping at the nurses' desk and then walking out of sight toward the more secure USAS section of the hospital.

Harry sat back and folded his hands over his stomach. It wasn't a minute later that Harry heard the brisk clomp, clomp, clomp of shoes coming from the other direction. Half a dozen seconds later, a grim looking nurse ushered a pale boy into the waiting room. He was wearing hospital pajamas that were a little too big on him, and he turned to stare wide-eyed at the nurse after only walking a few feet into the room.

"Your mother will be here within half an hour," the nurse told him with a sort of rough sympathy. "If you need something, the nurses' station is right over there."

The boy nodded jerkily.

The nurse looked him over and then turned with another nod, seeming at a loss for what to say. The boy continued to stare after her long after she disappeared, and only then slowly turned and wandered to the far side of the room, sinking heavily into one of the chairs.

Harry watched the boy from under his lashes. He looked twelve, maybe thirteen; certainly no more than a few years older than Harry himself. Harry noticed for the first time that he was wearing hospital issued slippers as well, something Harry found odd. As he sat there, the boy began to twist the bottom of his shirt with his fingers, shifting every few moments in his seat, eyes flicking around the room and then up at the clock over the door. After half a dozen glances around the room and then at the clock, the boy began to fidget even more.

Harry got up to look down the hall; he didn't see Suntree anywhere. Mary was still at the nurses' station and she glanced up and waved cheerfully, but she had a grim set to her expression that hadn't been there ten minutes ago. Harry waved and headed back into the room, studying the boy again. He stopped for a moment by his vacated chair and continued past it to sit a few chairs down from the boy.

"Hey there."

The boy gave a start, looked over at him, up at the clock, then looked back at him, waiting.

Harry worked his tongue against a loose tooth as he considered what to say. "You want to talk about it?" he asked quietly at last.

The boy shook his head, twisting the material of his shirt even more. Harry noticed he was shivering. A part of him said this was none of his business and he wondered if he should just leave the kid be, but there was just something so pitiful about him, something that made Harry itch to try to help.

He got up with a little nod to the boy and made his way over to the nurses' station, musing that perhaps the boy's father or mother was an Auror and something had gone wrong on the job. The waiting room might have been in the regular section of the hospital, but it was used almost exclusively by people waiting on someone in the secure USAS section of the hospital.

Mary was talking with a patient and doctor when Harry approached and he just ducked around the counter to grab a blanket from one of the cabinets. Mary gave him a vague nod when he held the blanket up for approval. As he made his way back to the waiting room, Harry focused on weaving a light warming charm into the blanket, running his fingers over the soft material. It was nicely warm by the time he stopped in front of the boy, holding the blanket out.

The boy gave another start when he finally looked away from the clock long enough to notice Harry. He reached out to take it slowly after a moment of puzzled indecision. "Thanks…"

"Of course."

The boy settled the blanket around himself haphazardly and Harry had to resist the urge to straighten it. He settled in his chair instead and slouched down.

"Wolf snake," the boy said after a handful of moments.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong, you asked. Wolf snake. My father…"

Harry frowned a little. "Wolf snakes aren't native to this area," he said slowly. "But even if they were, they're not poisonous."

"_Were_wolf snake."

Harry sat back in surprise. "A werewolf snake? I've never heard of those."

The boy shrugged and didn't seem likely to say more, but after a handful of moments, shrugged again. "Magical snakes," he mumbled to his feet. "Created, used by werewolf hunters." His voice dropped too low to be clear, but Harry thought he heard him mutter, "Bastards."

"Hunting werewolves has been illegal for years…" Harry pointed out. "Okay, right, that's hardly going to stop some people."

"No."

Harry considered that. "So it's poisonous to werewolves, I take it?"

"Yes. I don't want to talk about it."

"All right." Harry sat back and studied the boy from the corner of his eye. He made the connection after a few seconds that the boy's father must be a werewolf. He was trying to imagine just what effect the bite would have, given that the poison was designed as a weapon, when the boy suddenly shot to his feet, blanket falling from his shoulder to the floor as he strode over to the drink machine next to the bookshelves.

The boy rocked on his feet as he studied the pictures. He trailed his fingers slowly over the instructions printed on the front of the machine, above the various buttons, mouth moving as his finger slid over each word. After he'd gone over the instructions twice, he cautiously pushed the hot chocolate button. A little 'in stock' message flashed across the screen at the top of the machine.

The boy took a moment to read along the instructions again, finger sliding across the words as he mouthed them to himself, and then he reached for a pocket he didn't have in the hospital pajamas. He looked down at himself in surprise and sighed heavily, rubbing his face as his shoulders slumped.

Harry watched the boy continue to rock on his feet, staring at the drink machine with a sort of unhappy frustration, before he got to his feet. He snagged the blanket from the floor, gave it a shake and tossed it into the boy's chair as he went over to the machine, already digging into his pocket for some money. "Would you like a drink?" Harry asked, giving the boy an encouraging smile as he smoothed his fingers over a crumpled dollar, using magic to make it crisp and flat again.

"What? Oh! I- no, that's- no, you don't have to."

"Nah, it's cool." Harry fed the dollar in and pressed the hot chocolate button. A sturdy paper cup slid up into place below the nozzle; the machine gave a little hiss and a few seconds later hot chocolate began to dribble into the cup. As the cup reached almost full and the pour of liquid stopped, the strong, rich smell of good hot chocolate drifted up.

The boy breathed in deeply but didn't move to claim his drink, so Harry picked it up as he claimed the quarter that dropped into the coin tray. He carefully fit a lid onto the drink before pressing it into the boy's hand. "Here."

"I- you didn't- thanks…"

"You're welcome."

The boy gave him a strange, startled look for a few more moments before shuffling back to his seat. The blanket went into his lap and he sipped carefully at his drink, eyes on the clock again.

Movement caught Harry's eye as he fed some coins into the machine and pushed the button for his own drink. He glanced over to the window beside the door. Suntree gave him a nod from the other side, an eyebrow lifted slightly before he lifted his hands to sign a quick message and then moved out of view almost immediately. Harry had only just begun to learn the sign language all Aurors were required to know, but he was pretty sure the message had been something like 'Tony's fine and I'll be down the hall'.

He was puzzled that Suntree hadn't just come in and told him until he happened to glance over at the boy and saw the boy just starting to relax, a look of wariness on his face as he slowly turned his attention away from the window, back to the clock. The boy looked over at him sharply, startling Harry, and then he was looking away just as quickly.

"Werewolf snakes were created back when hunting werewolves was legal here," the boy said as Harry was collecting the other hot chocolate and fitting it with a lid.

He returned to the chair just several seats away from the boy and turned enough to be half facing him, cradling the warm cup in his hands. The boy looked at him, but there was something far away and not quite focused in his stare. "I think I kind of remember something like that," Harry said quietly.

"The werewolf snakes were created back when hunting werewolves was legal," the boy said again. "A group of werewolf hunters got together with a snake-talker," he spat the phrase with disgust and Harry shifted a little, "and they bred a magical snake that could sense werewolves. And when that actually worked, they bred them to have a single, highly poisonous bite. To werewolves. And when the poison weakened in the next few generations, they changed them so the fangs would barb and stick into the skin and only the snake-talker could get the snake to let go."

"Oh."

"If you want my opinion," the boy said harshly, glaring at the floor, "snake-talkers should be hunted down and killed. Only monsters could create something so terrible."

Harry looked down at his untouched hot chocolate. There was a brief silence as the boy continued to glare at the floor.

"It's terrible."

"It is terrible," Harry agreed quietly.

"And… they say that the snakes were real snakes with real poison, they were just changed, the poison was changed, so they can still reproduce. They're still out there, reproducing, carrying poisons, smelling werewolves and biting them. It's evil." The boy jerked at the blanket a little before looking up at the clock. When he continued his voice had lost its sharp anger and was dull and flat. "They don't let go until all of their magic is released into the werewolf. That's the worst part. Waiting. Waiting for the bite to finish its work. It's almost kinder to just kill the snake and release all the magic and end it in a couple minutes…"

"I- I'm sorry…" The boy glanced over, dark eyes standing out eerily in his pale face and with such a look of pain that Harry could almost feel it. "So they… can't do anything…?"

The boy laughed harshly, humorlessly, lifting his drink with an unsteady hand. "They claim they can. These healers. There're special tools and a specialized team and special potions and it's all so very special. But its takes just over half an hour to work, and there's no recovery from the poison after fifty minutes." His voice dropped almost too low for Harry to hear, thick with emotion. "And I don't know how…"

Harry bit his lip and glanced at the clock. His musing was interrupted by a sudden jerking movement from the boy and when he looked back the boy was staring at him with a hard intensity that made Harry uncomfortable, pulling at the blanket in his lap. Harry looked away after several seconds, unable to meet that stare, and noticed the boy's drink about to tip out of his hand. He reached out to take the cup as the boy let out a harsh, "Yes."

"What?"

"My father's a werewolf."

Harry nodded. "I'd worked that out." He held the cup back out, noticing it was almost empty.

The boy took it with a jerky motion, expression hardening even more, becoming almost challenging. "I'm a werewolf."

Harry nodded again. "Okay. I hadn't entirely worked that one out yet, but I was getting there."

The boy eyed him. "Okay? Just okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

He hunched in over his drink. "Okay." After a second he looked up at the clock again, all challenge and stiffness going out of him as he worried at his bottom lip.

"How long has it been?" Harry asked softly.

The boy swallowed several times. "I don't know. I think around ten minutes. After he was bit. We got him here. We were out in the dessert. I'm not sure how long it took to get back."

Harry glanced at the clock. It'd been almost twenty minutes he'd been talking. He debated for all of two seconds before standing. "Here." He held out his hot chocolate, putting a little warming charm on the cup. The boy gave him a puzzled look. "I need to go back now. If you want it, you can have it. I haven't drunk from it."

"As if you could give me something," the boy said with a disdainful snort. He reached up and took it after a moment. "Thanks."

"I hope your father is all right. Really."

The boy studied him intently before nodding a little. "…Yeah, me, too."

Harry couldn't resist reaching out and adjusting the blanket a little, giving the boy a smile. The boy just stared at him.

Outside the waiting room, he found Suntree, not at the nurses' station, but leaning back against the wall right beside the waiting room window. "You hear all that?" Harry asked.

Suntree raised his brows. "Mmhm."

"It's a snake, Suntree."

"I caught that."

Harry gave him a pointed look. "I want to help."

"The team's back there now working on him. I asked."

"So they caught it in time?"

Suntree shook his head a little. "They don't think so. But they're going to try anyway."

"Suntree, I _have_ to help."

"Why?"

Harry gave him a look. "What do you mean, 'why'? Because I can. It's the right thing to do. How can you even ask why?"

Suntree tipped his head forward a little and began to stride down the hallway. "All right. Let's go find a healer." Suntree strode past the nurses' desk with authority and Harry did his best to match the stride.

Past the restricted door, the hospital looked just the same as the non-restricted area. Suntree turned down a hall Harry had never gone down before, and within a minute, Suntree was striding his way into the Trauma section. Harry pressed closer to Suntree, trying to ignore a little stirring of unease. The section was unnaturally quiet and just as empty.

"Here." Suntree turned a corner and there was a long counter in front of them. There was a single nurse working behind the counter; she barely glanced up at their approach. A healer stood at the farther end of the counter, reviewing a chart, looking drawn and worried. "Healer Reich?"

The man looked up. "Yes?" He frowned when he spotted Harry hovering to the side, just behind Suntree. Harry tried to stand up straight and look like he belonged there.

Suntree pulled out his badge. "You have a werewolf-snake bite incident here?"

"Ah, yes. What-?"

"How does it look?"

"Not good. Didn't get to him in time. The team's still in there trying, but- it's going to be too late."

"Nothing that can be done?"

"Afraid not."

"Would a Parselmouth be of any assistance?"

The man gave a harsh laugh as he turned back to his paperwork. "Sure, if you can get us one in the next ten minutes. There aren't any in the country."

Suntree glanced over at Harry and Harry nodded. "I've got you a Parselmouth."

The man looked up wearily. "Where?"

"Here." Harry stepped out from beside Suntree. "We're wasting time."

The man just stared at him.

Well? Harry hissed. The man jumped, sending the papers flying. He didn't seem to notice as they settled around his feet.

"I- yes. Yes. This way." He turned and strode off quickly. Harry almost had to jog to keep up.

Despite his haste, the healer opened the door he stopped at with care and walked in quietly. Harry followed, bracing himself for whatever he might see.

There were four people standing around a bed, clustered near the foot, focused not on the bed's occupant but on a red snake with little brown flecks. The man that the snake was biting was both pale and flushed, giving him an unhealthy, mottled appearance, and if it weren't for the labored breathing, Harry might have thought the man dead. With effort, Harry forced his eyes away, back down to the snake.

Three of the people gathered around the snake were trying to work something into the snake's mouth, a small tube of some sort that was attached to a machine hovering over the bed. For whatever reason, they weren't having much luck with it.

The fourth person detached from the others and strode over, bristling with anger. "What do you think you're- what does he think he's doing?!" the man whispered furiously as Harry pushed past him. "What- he can't do that!"

Harry reached the bedside just as the others pulled the tool away, standing back with expressions of frustration. One of them began to fiddle with buttons on the machine. Another reached for another tube and began the process of removing the first from the machine and attaching the other one. Harry pushed the third man out of the way before they realized he was there and tried his best to ignore the spluttering and indignant hands falling on his shoulders to pull him away as he leaned over to look the snake in the eye.

Would you stop it? he hissed at the healer, twisting around to look at the man still pulling on his shoulders. The man's hands jerked away in shock and the entire room went silent.

Harry looked back at the snake. He immediately began to explain where they were, why they were there and what was going to happen to the snake should the snake not let go. He watched the snake's eyes closely, ignoring its writhing body. The Parsel magic was subtle, but Harry had enough practice with it to recognize the point when his hissing explanation stopped going straight to the snake's brain as information and began to become a shared language between them, making a conversation possible.

Harry realized almost instantly that this wasn't going to be easy. The snake could listen, it had no choice, really, but it wasn't about to stop biting to answer back, and Harry was left having to interpret the wriggling body and whatever he was picking up subconsciously from the Parsel magic that allowed them to understand each other. Harry hadn't thought it'd be as simple as coming in and saying, "Let go," but it took a frustratingly long time for the snake to seem to understand that however much the wrong-smelling creature might be a threat, the real threat would come from everyone else if something happened to the wrong-smelling creature.

Harry tried his best not to think about time, to remain calm and confident, but the increased fidgeting of those in the room was starting to wear on his nerves. Harry also increasingly got the feeling that he was dealing with a young snake, stubborn and petulant just because it could be.

Snake, Harry finally said, holding out his arm near the snake's body. You did as the Parsel magic demanded. You attacked the wrong-smelling creature. It is not a threat now. Let go and you'll be given warm rocks and fat mice. If you don't let go, if this man dies, you will not live. These other creatures, they will kill you. They will lock you away from warm rocks, they will hurt you, they will kill you. I can save you, give you new territory, warm rocks, fat mice. If you let go.

The snake twitched its tail in agitation.

You are alone, Harry told him with as much confidence as he could muster, pulling his arm away and taking a step back, beginning to turn. He looked over to one of the healers standing by. "Am I speaking English?"

The man nodded, scowling and looking puzzled. "Is that it? Is that all you can do? Why hasn't it let go?"

"It's being stubborn," Harry said with a bit of a shrug. "Do me a favor? Cast a cooling charm on the snake? Just a little, not too much."

"What? Why?"

"Just cast the charm."

"We have three minutes until-"

"Cast. The. Charm."

The man scowled all the more and pulled his wand. Harry watched the snake carefully as it twitched in even more agitation. When the cooling charm hit it, it stiffened and tried to coil in on itself, then flicked its tail wildly. Harry ignored the plea for attention for a handful of seconds before glancing over and then leaning in close.

Yes?

The snake began to writhe desperately as another healer cast the charm again.

I told you, Harry said, shifting closer, one arm falling next to the snake. You don't want my help, so they will make you sleepy and sick, and then they'll- He stopped as the snake pulled away, striking out at his arm. But the snake didn't bite, it simply wound tightly around his arm, under the sleeve, hiding and cowering and trying to warm up.

Harry pulled the arm close to his chest and covered it protectively with his other as he pushed past the still startled healers and out of the room before someone could think to stop him. The door closed with the barest noise behind him and his hurrying steps were loud as he moved quickly down the hallway, putting a little distance between them and the door before stopping.

The snake hissed indignantly as Harry moved his arm, pulling the sleeve back to study the snake. The snake leveled him with a vaguely accusatory look, hissing to itself about being jostled and squished and jerked and maybe it shouldn't have let go. Harry ran his hand along the snake's body the best he could, applying a gentle heating charm to warm the snake up. The hissed protests died away as the snake warmed up and Harry was able to hear soft, measured footsteps approaching. He looked up as Suntree stopped several feet away, eyeing the snake with an odd expression. "It's not the snake's fault."

"Hm."

"I told it that no one would hurt it if it let go."

Suntree raised his brows.

"The snake can't help itself," Harry said with a frown, pulling the snake close to his chest again. "It's been changed with magic. Controlled by magic. It can't help itself. Sure, it's annoying and rude and irritating, but it's not like it actually planned to hurt someone. It was just doing what the magic told it to do."

"Yes."

Harry licked his lips. "So we can keep the snake safe, right? No, not me," he assured quickly at seeing Suntree's expression change. "I mean, there's something we can do to make sure the snake is safe, right? The USAS can take the snake, can't they? It qualifies as a dangerous creature, doesn't it? You don't have one of these. You should. The USAS should. To study and take venom and have records and stuff. The USAS should take it."

Suntree snorted a little. "That's the idea, yes. The snake always dies in these cases. Even if they get the snake off in time, the various potions they have to use always kills the snake after several hours. It's been years since any organization has had one of those. They're pretty rare."

Harry relaxed. "Good. I told it that it'd get warm rocks and fat mice and stuff."

"I imagine it will. And I also imagine I ought to take it to the Auror labs before someone else decides to claim it."

Harry nodded quickly. "Good idea. Excellent idea. Take the snake, protect it, get its annoying little self away from me."

Suntree's brows went up.

"Don't ask. Trust me, it's annoying." Harry held out his arm towards Suntree.

Suntree took a step back. "Um, no, we need a box. I'm not carrying a live snake."

"It's can't hurt you. It's only poisonous to werewolves."

"Not carrying a live snake."

Harry studied Suntree for several seconds. "Are you afraid of snakes?"

Suntree lifted a brow. "Would you want to take a snake you couldn't talk to through the Floo?"

"Oh, right. Well, here, hold it for a second so I can…" Harry trailed off as Suntree moved another step back. Harry considered Suntree. "You are afraid of snakes."

"Understandably cautious."

Harry let out a snort. "You're afraid of snakes."

"Come along, child." He made a gesture and turned to head back the way they'd come. Harry followed, absently stroking the snake still mumbling dissatisfaction to itself.

Suntree stopped when they reached the long counter from before. The nurse had been joined by a couple of others, and there was a flurry of activity going on behind the counter. The nurses barely glanced over at them before gong back to what they were doing.

Suntree grabbed a box of tissues from the counter, pulled all of the tissues out then used his wand to transfigure the box into something sturdier and larger with vent holes along the sides and a latch on the top of the box. "Here." He pushed it along the counter towards Harry.

"Right. Give me a minute. The damn snake is stubborn, but I'll out-stubborn it if it's the last thing I do." Harry took the box, missing Suntree's look of amusement as he went to sit on the floor a short distance from the counter, back against the wall. He set the box on the floor and shifted his arm near the box.

The snake stared at the box, tongue flicking out several times, and then it looked to Harry. You said warm rocks and fat mice.

Yes. We'll take you to the mice and rocks. He tapped the box with his other hand. Get in here. We'll take you to a nice place. There will be warm rocks and fat mice.

No. My territory. There I get warm rocks and fat mice.

Harry sighed and tried to think of how to phrase his commands exactly right so the Parsel magic wouldn't waste any more of the commanding magic than necessary in translating appropriately. Get in the box. It will be warm. I'll close it, making it dark. The bigger thumper will move you. Other thumpers will take you from this box and put you in a big territory box. They will give you fat mice. There will be warm rocks. You will be safe. There won't be wrong-smelling creatures. I will come speak with you before you shed again, but not before you eat again. Understand?

I stopped biting wrong-smelling creature, the snake hissed back petulantly, reminding Harry strongly of a pouting child. I want my territory.

You can't. This new territory will be good settling ground. It will be sun warm, but not too hot. It will be night cool, but you won't be sluggish. There are many of rocks, sand and grass, things to climb, holes to burrow in. There will be fat mice. There will be no wrong-smelling creatures to threaten you.

I want my territory. I had that in my territory.

There are many wrong-smelling creatures in your territory. You can only bite one at a time. They will bring you back here. You will be cold again. They will kill you.

I don't want to.

You will do as I tell you or you'll become prey for those that shelter the wrong-smelling creatures.

The snake didn't respond, but after a few moments, it sulkily slid into the box. Harry reached in to stroke the snake, and then ran his fingers along the box, applying more heating charms until the snake made little noises of pleasure. Slowly, Harry pulled his hand out and closed the box, securing the latch. He ran a finger along the place the lid met the rest of the box, adding a simple sealing charm to make sure it'd stay closed.

Harry looked up at Suntree. "English?"

"Yes."

"This is going to be one unhappy snake after you Floo. Make sure you tell them that when you drop the snake off."

"Right." Suntree studied the box. "What was all that hissing about?"

Harry stood up and stretched, glancing around before looking back at Suntree. "Talking to snakes can be odd. Just talking to a snake is one thing; the magic bridges the gap between what I'm saying and what the snake hears, finding translations that would make sense to a snake. But if you're ordering a snake to do something, you have to phrase it as close to their understanding as possible so the command has strength."

"Ah." Suntree eyed the box. "You stay here with that. I'm going to go have a word with various people to let them know what's going on. If anyone tries to take the snake, well, don't get into more trouble than I can pull you out of."

Harry snickered and set the box down at his feet. For good measure, he put an anti-summoning charm on it. Harry was tired and not focusing as carefully as usual, so it probably wouldn't completely stop it from being summoned, but he figured it'd slow the process down enough that he could just grab it.

He needn't have worried, though. When Suntree came back several minutes later, Harry hadn't even seen anyone else.

"The man's going to be just fine," Suntree told him with a small smile as he drew near. "And I've taken the snake into USAS custody."

Harry sniggered, reaching down to pick up the box. He tried to hand it to Suntree and Suntree busied his hands with adjusting his shirt and checking the time as he began to walk down the hall. Harry rolled his eyes and followed.

"So now I just need to take it to the labs. You can stay in the waiting room if you like, or I suppose you can go stay with Tony while I'm gone."

"Hey, yeah, what's up with Tony? I mean, seriously."

Suntree chuckled and dropped a hand to Harry's shoulder. "Tony has caught himself the magical version of chicken pox."

Harry stared up at him. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. It's called varista. Or magical chicken pox. Children that get it tend to have classic chicken pox symptoms, plus it sparks accidental magic. It's more dangerous for adults to get it, like with the non-magical version of chicken pox, and the accidental magic tends to show up in stranger ways with adults."

"Like orange sneezes," Harry said dryly.

"Exactly."

"Isn't chicken pox contagious? I mean, I imagine the magical equivalent is, too. If that's the case then I'm going to end up getting it, aren't I?"

"No, in fact. It's pretty much chicken pox. If you've had regular chicken pox, you can't catch the magical kind, and vice versa. And seeing as how you've already had the chicken pox, quite badly in fact, you'll be fine around him."

"I'll stay with Tony then. He could probably do with the company." Harry's mouth twitched with amusement. "I can't believe he's never had chicken pox."

"Given his background, I can believe it. Here, down this way."

They were out of the Trauma section now and the difference was unmistakable. They'd already seen several nurses and one healer going about their business. From the occasional half open door, there were the sounds of conversation, television and radio. The odd patient or two could be seen walking the halls.

"They're probably going to keep him for several days," Suntree remarked as they turned down another hallway.

"What? Why? Oh, because it's more dangerous in adults?"

"Sort of. It's more that he lives alone, though. Considering that magical chicken pox causes eruptions of strange, accidental magic in adults, it's recommended that you only leave someone alone for a few hours at a time. And Tony has exceptionally well-guided wandless magic, so it's probably even more important to be able to monitor him closely."

"Man, that's going to totally suck for him."

"Yes, it rather will," Suntree agreed. "It's a pity he doesn't know one of us well enough that he'd ask someone to stay with him; one of your so christened Pottery Aurors, I mean. As I recall, he rather dislikes hospitals. Of course, his apartment really isn't fit for another person stay over, anyway."

"Why? You've seen it?"

"Once. It's a USAS single, a little smaller than Terry's. He had a couch, a television and a bookcase the last time I saw it."

Harry stopped walking to stare at Suntree in surprise. "What? That's it? Not even a bed?"

"No, not even a bed. I don't think he spends much time in his apartment anyway. He does travel a fair bit-"

"Not lately," Harry interrupted with a frown, starting to walk again.

"I think he stays in his office more often than not. He has a couch in there, too."

"Why would he do that?"

Suntree shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's just that he doesn't need much. He's not used to having much."

"But not even a bed?"

Suntree shrugged again.

The snake in the box hissed out a complaint about the jostling, derailing Harry's train of thought. Harry spent the last minute of their walk giving the snake a stern talking to, knowing he wouldn't have to hear it complain once Suntree went on his errand.

"Here's the room." The door was half open; Suntree just pushed it open the rest of the way and walked in. It was a small, private room, like most of them in the hospital, and Tony was settled into the bed, flicking through channels on the television mounted across from the bed, looking utterly bored. He brightened when he saw them and turned the television off.

"Hey."

Harry snickered. "Tony, your hair is bright pink."

He sighed. "Yeah, I know. I coughed and it happened. The nurse says it's best not force it back. She might've been having fun with me, though. She was giggling pretty hard. But I'm not about to do anything to prolong my stay here, even if it means having pink hair."

Harry snickered again.

Tony eyed the box. "What do you have there?"

"You tell him, Sunny." Harry put the box down and went to rummage in the bedside table for a pad of paper and a pen. He took over the wheeled table to write a note as he listened to Suntree summarize the past half hour. Tony's response to it pretty much summed up Harry's feelings about it all.

"Whoa."

"Tell me about it. Why does this weird shit keep happening to me?" Harry sighed.

"Language." Suntree gave him a look.

"You're a magnet for it, wildcat." Tony chuckled.

Harry made a face. "Yeah, well, words fail me."

"And on that note, I should take the snake to the labs." Suntree picked up the box. The snake hissed threats as Suntree headed for the door. "They're expecting it."

"When you're doing that…" Harry folded the note twice and grabbed Tony's wand from the bedside table to add a quick privacy seal to it.

"Tell me, 'cat," Tony said with amusement as Harry banished the note towards Suntree. Suntree caught it and studied it, putting the box down, "do you ever actually use your own wand?"

"I have been known to," Harry said with a shrug.

"Do you even know where it is?"

"Sure! At home, in my desk drawer."

"Think you should, I don't know, consider carrying it with you in case you need it in an emergency?" Tony pointed out with a snort.

"Seems pretty pointless to me," Harry said with a snort of his own. "I-"

"Jamie?"

Harry looked over at Suntree. "Yeah?"

"What am I doing with this?" he asked, waving the folded note.

"Oh! Drop it off to Mom? It's, like, totally, super, amazingly important. It can't wait until I go home. And wait for a reply." Harry shook a warning finger at him. "And I will know if you don't do this thing I'm telling you to do."

"And what's this note about?" Suntree asked, tucking it away.

"Stuff." Harry airily waved a hand. "Just stuff."

"I see." Suntree shook his head and picked up the box. "I should be back within half an hour, maybe a little longer."

"We'll be here."

"I know I sure will," Tony sighed.

"Aww." Harry kicked off his shoes and moved to join Tony on the bed.

Tony gave Suntree a nod. "See you, Sunny."

With an amused snort, Suntree left, closing the door behind him.

"And why, pray tell, would it be pointless to carry your wand with you?" Tony asked as Harry leaned in close to give him a thoughtful study. "And no, I haven't broken out in spots yet. I expect that'll happen soon enough."

"Tony, picture my wand in your mind," Harry told him, shifting to pour a glass of water from the bedside table. "Here, drink."

"Why is water the answer to all things with you?" Tony asked, taking the glass. "Whenever someone doesn't feel well you always recommend water."

"It's water. It's like oodles of good for you. And it's important to keep hydrated when you don't feel well. Especially important, in fact, since most of the time you don't feel like drinking and that's when you need to hydrate the most."

"Sometimes I wonder about you, kid."

"Only sometimes?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Okay, most of the time. Sometimes I'm asleep."

"Silly wolf." Harry tapped his nose. "Now, are you picturing my wand? Is it not the most fabulous wand ever with all those pretty stickers on it? Do those stickers mean anything to you?"

"Ah. Sometimes I forget you still have the muting stickers on there. What's the power of your wand, half of what it should be?"

"Exactly. So it's rather pointless to carry a wand with me when I can accomplish nearly the same with wandless magic at this point. I can always borrow a wand from one of my Pottery people if I need it."

"Quite so."

"Now drink. Drink, drink, drink. Hydrate. I order it."

Tony rolled his eyes. "You seem to get pushier every day. I think you _are_ planning to take over the world."

Harry grinned. "You gonna help?"

"We'll see."

"You love me. You know it."

"I find I do," Tony agreed.

"Good." Harry resettled next to him just as Tony sneezed. The apple on his bedside tray exploded all over them. Tony groaned.

"That was… random." Harry took possession of the wand again and was in the process of cleaning up apple bits when a nurse hurried in with her wand drawn. She sagged a little when she saw Harry vanishing the last of the mess.

"I was thinking about apple sauce," Tony said a little sheepishly as Harry poured him a new glass of water.

"I'll send some up from the kitchen." She eyed Tony and stifled a snicker. "It should be up in a couple of minutes."

"Thanks."

She eyed Harry next. "Young man, I'm not so sure you should be in here. He's contagious at this point."

"I've had the pox plague already," Harry said with a cheerful grin. "Pretty bad, too."

She smiled a little. "All right, then. As for the magic… well, you seem a little young to be handling a wand that easily, but since you seem more than capable, and no one's scolding you for doing it, I do imagine you can be trusted to handle whatever he happens to sneeze or cough."

Harry grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

"He definitely is," Tony assured her.

"All right. While you're visiting, I'll check in, but I won't pester every time I register accidental magic in the room. Give the nurse station a buzz if you can't handle something."

"Yes, ma'am."

She eyed Tony's hair one last time. She stopped hiding her laughter as she made her way out.

Tony gave Harry a look and a sigh. "I'm sure glad it'll only take five or six days to get the chicken pox cleared up."

"Aww." Harry hugged him. "Does Tony not want the cute girls to tease him?"

Tony poked his side. "Don't make me kick you out."

"And leave me all on my own out in the wild hallways? Completely defenseless?"

Tony poked him again. "I highly doubt you have anything to be concerned about."

"Never know."

A bowl of applesauce appeared on the far end of the bedside table with a ping. Harry twitched a finger at it and directed it onto the wheeled table tray, then gently tugged the table over so Tony could reach it.

"Mind if I see what's on TV while you eat your sauce of apples?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Go for it."

Harry snagged the remote and settled against Tony's side to flick through channels. He only had to deal with one accidental magic cough during that – when Tony turned his spoon into a knife – and once he'd finished, Tony slouched down into the pillows, half reclining. Harry settled an arm around Tony's shoulders.

After a while, Harry was startled to realize that Tony seemed to have fallen asleep, and Harry endeavored to remain as still as possible. If Tony had to stay in the hospital for the next several days, sleep would probably be hard to come by. As it was, despite his usual hair-trigger awareness, Tony only woke when Suntree returned.

"Sorry I'm late."

With a grunt, Tony pushed himself up into a sitting position, shrugging a little as he stifled a yawn with one hand. Harry noticed several little spots on his arm.

"And your mother has a note for you." Suntree banished the note to Harry.

Harry snagged it before it smacked him in the face. "Thanks, Sun. But hey, at least if you take out my eye with a note, we're already at the hospital."

"Don't be a drama queen."

Harry 'hmphed' as he unfolded the note. It was short and exactly what Harry wanted to hear. "Hey, Tony? Want to get out of here and come stay with us until you feel better?" Harry asked.

"What? No, Jamie, I'm not about to do that to you and your mom."

"Too late." Harry handed him the note. "Mom says you're invited over and she'll make some soup."

"Jamie, I can't do that."

"Sure you can. You're invited. Family is. And family does. That's the way family works. Or so I understand. I'm making it up as I go along."

"Jamie-"

"Nope. You'll come stay with us. Its summer, so I'll be around and there's always someone else with a wand hanging out somewhere. Look at the note; Mom says right there that she's fixing up the spare room. And see, right there? She even wrote, 'there's no reason to let family be miserable in the hospital when they can be miserable at home.' I think the next part about being amused at your pink hair is just teasing. But look, she even promised not to let Aki anywhere near your food if Aki happens to come by. Now that's love right there."

Tony snorted.

"You know you want to. Come on, Tony. Think about this. We want you to stay with us because we care. It's us or giggling nurses."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Tony said dryly.

"I knew you'd see it my way."

* * *

"Come in."

Suntree came into the spare bedroom, grinning for a split second at seeing Tony covered in spots before fixing a more neutral smile on his face.

Tony looked up from the chess board and gave Suntree a dark look. "It's not that funny. It's a rash and it itches. Give me a good cursing and broken bones any day. This is terrible."

"Don't be so dramatic, Tony," Harry told him mildly, moving a knight across the board. One of his other pieces gave him a doleful look and Harry tapped it sternly on its top. "Don't give me that. I'm playing here, not you."

"How are you feeling, Tony?" Suntree asked, pulling a chair up beside the bed. "Besides itchy and dramatic."

"My magic is driving me crazy," Tony grumped. "I turned a jar of pickles into a jar of cucumbers yesterday, and then the jar exploded. I sneezed on a newspaper this morning and it translated to Chinese or something, and Jamie couldn't get it to change back. Last night, I set my pillow on fire. And that's not even half of it."

"No worries, though," Harry said cheerfully. "To think my defense reaction times are getting applied in a non-combat situation!"

"At least someone's getting joy out of this."

"Silly wolf."

"Oh, yeah, that." Tony pushed a piece across the board. Suntree noted the piece cowered away from Tony's hand. "I got stuck in my wolf form for three hours yesterday. You know what's worse than having chicken pox?"

Suntree's mouth turned up at the corners. "Being a wolf with chicken pox?"

"Yes!" Tony suddenly scrambled for a tissue and got it to his face just in time for a mighty sneeze. The tissue blew out of his hand as confetti.

Within several seconds, Harry had Tony's wand in hand and had shielded, banished, vanished, scoured and disinfected the bed and surrounding areas with a series of efficient wand movements. He put the wand down and nudged one of the disgruntled looking chess pieces to a new position.

"Laney says your next healer check-in will be in an hour," Suntree said with amusement. "For another potion soak and then another application of the protective paste."

"Joy."

"I'd think you'd like the paste. It makes you look like you're covered in red rash spots instead of fluid filled blisters."

"Eww, Sunny!" Harry gave him a look. "Don't be gross."

Suntree raised a brow. "You're the one taking care of him."

"Green's also here quite often, oddly enough," Tony said with a strange expression. "And Al avoids this room like I have the plague."

Harry wiggled his fingers dramatically. "Oooh, the pox plague, scaaary."

"And Jamie's here to keep my spirits up without fail," Tony said with a fond snort, giving a pawn a particularly hard poke. "Come on, move. It's not like I'm asking for a lot here, just for you to sacrifice yourself," he muttered.

Harry snickered.

"And of course, the paste means you're not contagious to the touch now," Suntree continued cheerfully.

"And the healer taught me that barrier spell." Harry picked up one of the pieces and set it down, ignoring it's muttering. "So he's not really contagious to me. Not that he was anyway."

"And look on the bright side," Suntree added. "Your hair isn't pink any more."

"Because it's green now." Tony sat back against the pillows, suddenly looking quite tired. Harry levitated the chess board off the bed to a clear spot on the dresser. "Who're you here to see, anyway?" Tony asked Suntree as Harry sprawled across his lap.

"Jame."

Harry gave him a curious look.

"I just wanted to let you know the man you helped is doing just fine. No lingering symptoms; he's up and talking and eating."

"Great!"

"He's also asking about you."

"What? Me? Why?"

"I don't know, maybe because you saved his life?"

"Um…"

"He wants to thank you."

"Oh. I'm okay, I don't need thanks."

"You may not need it," Suntree said with a quirk of a smile, "but he wants to give it. Your mother has agreed to you visiting."

"Oh."

"We can't force you, of course. We wouldn't want to. But I think you should strongly consider it."

"I will. Consider it."

"Try not to take too long. He'll only be in the hospital another five days."

Harry nodded.

Tony scrambled to grab another tissue and sneezed into a handful of sheet instead. Harry rolled away, Tony's wand lifted warily. When nothing happened, he lowered the wand slowly.

"Doesn't seem to have done anything."

"Speak for yourself," Tony said mournfully, trying to pull the sheet from his hand. It looked like it'd been glued there.

* * *

Sneak peek at the next chapter!

* * *

"Wands are odd here." Tony reached up to scratch his cheek and stopped just short with a sigh. "Just about everyone has a wand, though not always. Wand use is discouraged in most situations, you see, considering we practically live on top of non-magical people. The ninety-seven rule is all well and good-"

"Ninety-seven rule?" Laney interrupted.

"You're allowed to use discreet magic in front of non-magicals just so long as the magic is something that ninety-seven percent of the people that might witness it are willing to write it off as a trick of the eye or something else," Suntree answered. "If I'm not mistaken, in Europe, and especially Britain and other nearby areas, you're not allowed to use magic in front of non-magicals at all."

"Are you ever mistaken?" Tony muttered. Suntree ignore him.

"No, you're not. But isn't that a bit dangerous? I mean, how on earth is someone supposed to be able to tell if something they're about to do will be ignored by ninety-seven percent of the people that see it?" Laney asked.

"When you're learning spells in school, they'll tell you which spells fall under the ninety-seven rule. There're some that are a little ambiguous, and there are occasionally spells that they don't teach that would fall under the rule, but for the most part, you'll pick it up from school." Suntree stopped a moment. "And there's a list you can get from any government office."

Laney nodded slowly.

Tony reached up to scratch his arm and stopped with a vaguely cross look. "What was I saying, Sunny?"

"'Wand use is discouraged in most situations, you see, considering we practically live on top of non-magical people. The ninety-seven rule is all well and good…' And then you trailed off."

Tony shook his head. "That was verbatim, wasn't it?"

"It was."

"You are a freak."

"I'll remember that next time you ask me where you left off."

"A very useful freak, mind you. But a freak. But as I was saying, it's all well and good, but if you have to pull out a wand every time you do magic, that's not very discrete. To be honest with you, a lot of places began to treat wandless magic as something too difficult to be achieved by people, or not even possible at all, to curb the instances of magic in front of non-magical people. And in places where you see a lot of unrest in the magical world – Europe seems to be one lately – then making wandless magic seem less possible helps control just how bad things get to a certain extent."

"And it sure makes it easier to detain prisoners," Suntree said mildly. "Those magic blocking bracelets and cuffs are rather hard to make. It's like making a broom, only an expert can do it right."

"Ah." Laney nodded slowly.


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: Joy!

Betas: Megan, Jynx67 and Madam Whitbrook. Thanks!

AN: Review responses link found in profile. Sorry for the delay. Life and writer's block. No next chapter preview; sorry.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 28

* * *

"How was your visit?"

"Strange. But not bad." Harry sat down at the kitchen table to watch Laney cut up vegetables for dinner. "Where's everyone?"

"Tony's still upstairs and Green's sitting with him. Other than that, it's just us for dinner tonight, kiddo."

"Cool. Want some help?"

"Sure. Wash those vegetables there."

Harry got up to join her near the sink.

"How did everything go?" Laney asked after a short while. "You were gone a few hours."

"It was kind of weird. I mean, you know, what do you say to someone when they thank you for saving their life?" he asked quietly. "What can you possibly say? 'You're welcome' hardly seems adequate. 'Hey, no problem' seems to make light of the fact that it was someone's life. 'It was the right thing to do', that one's just obvious and completely dumb…"

"I don't know, Jame. What did you tell him?"

"That I was just glad I happened to be there. He said he was quite glad as well. But it was kind of awkward at first, and then it was really awkward when his family showed up and they all wanted to thank me and hug me and stuff. But once that was over with, they were all really, really nice. We just talked for a while."

"Good visit then?"

"Yeah. Not bad. I really liked the family. You know they're all werewolves?"

"Yeah."

"Apparently werewolves are reeeally affectionate."

"Oh?"

"Well." Harry blushed a little, focusing hard on the green pepper he was washing. "That kid I mentioned that I was talking to in the waiting room was there; obviously, considering he's Greg's son. That's the man's name. Greg. And his son is Bran. But Bran was there, and he was pretty puzzled by my being there until he learned it was me who saved Greg, and then he couldn't stop hugging me…"

"I expect he was quite glad."

"Quite. Very. And he got really caught up in being happy… and he's pretty, really affectionate…"

Laney gave Harry an amused look. "Was pretty affectionate, huh?"

Harry blushed even more. "He nuzzled my cheek," he muttered. "And then he was shocked and horrified. But you know, he's a werewolf," Harry said quickly, "and he'd done that with his parents while I was there, so it's totally werewolf behavior, and stuff, but… I told him it was cool, you know, because he's a werewolf. So it was cool. So I guess he… I don't know. But he did it again, the nuzzling thing, being a werewolf and all. It was kind of odd…"

"You didn't like it?"

Harry shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "It was kind of… um, nice? But, like, you know, because he was treating me like a werewolf. Except, you know, not. But it was nice that he was that pleased. It felt nice that he was that pleased. That's what I mean."

Laney bit back a laugh with great effort. "It made you feel special?" she asked mildly. "Kind of made being in the middle of their family thing less awkward, maybe, because you felt included in it?"

"Yeah!" He gave her something like a relieved smile. "Yeah, that, that's it. Special nice. Just special nice."

"Hm. Here, can I trust you to cut up those peppers?"

"Mooom." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Just checking, kiddo." She ruffled his hair and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "Be careful."

"I'm almost eleven, Mom. And I handle knives _all the time_ in Potions. Seriously."

"And I seriously don't want blood in my dinner. Seriously."

Harry rolled his eyes again. "Mom."

Laney smiled fondly. "So you stayed a couple hours and talked to them?"

"Yeah. But Bran's mom, Myra, she had to leave after a while. She's really nice." He giggled a little. "Greg introduced her as his mate. It was kind of weird. You know, that word? It was kind of weird. And he introduced Bran as his cub."

"Well, they are werewolves," Laney said with amusement. "As you keep telling me."

"They have this whole culture, Mom. It's so cool. And they're, like, really touchy feely kind of people. They kept petting me."

"Petting you?"

"Well, Bran more. I don't think he realized he was doing it. But, like, patting my hand and rubbing my arm and stuff like that."

Laney looked away from the chicken to study Harry. He seemed oblivious to it, meticulously cutting the peppers up into even slices. She couldn't help but snort at that. "I can tell you're used to cutting things up for Potions. They're just peppers, Jame. If they're not all the same width, it won't change the entire meal."

Harry stuck his tongue out at her.

"Real mature."

"I don't have to be mature. I'm not even eleven yet."

"Whatever. Summon that pan down for me?"

Harry glanced over at the pan and nodded to the counter. It dropped off the top of the cabinets and he caught the pan with a quick levitation charm and set it down gently.

"Thanks."

"Anyway, they were both really nice. And Myra, too. I mean really, really nice. When I left it felt like we'd been friends for a long time, not like we'd just met."

"Really? That's a special thing."

"They were just so nice. I really liked meeting them."

"Suntree tells me they invited you to visit," Laney said casually after a while of silence.

"Um, yeah." Harry shrugged. "I'd like to, but I know it's not really possible. But I got on really well with Bran so we're going to write and stuff. They actually use birds to deliver the mail; can you believe that? But Bran said that they've also got a PO Box, so that's where I'll write him."

"That's nice."

"But, um, if it's all right… I was thinking that I could maybe visit them again before Greg leaves the hospital?"

"Of course, sweetie."

"Awesome. Thanks, Mom."

"Mmhm. I'm glad you've made a new friend."

Harry glanced over shyly. "You think maybe one day I could visit? They were all really nice. Bran says the rest of the pack is really nice, too."

"We'll see."

He turned back to the peppers. "All right."

* * *

"Hey, Sunny." Laney stopped, staring out at the backyard. Harry and Al were pacing, sweeping their wands in patterns over the grass with frequent stops to write in notebooks. "What are they doing? Some kind of warding…?"

"They're taking measurements." Suntree took a sip from a bottle of juice. "Jamie plans on mounting a campaign this summer to convince you to put in a swimming pool."

"I see." Laney watched them for a handful of moments as she redid her ponytail. "Think I should tell them that a pool sounds like a good idea? And remind Jamie that getting a pool was actually part of the plan at some point?"

"I think not. It's keeping them from mischief."

Laney laughed. "Fair enough." She sat down beside Suntree. "You know, I've actually been thinking of putting in a guest house."

Suntree raised his brows slightly in question.

"Well." Laney shrugged and leaned forward to snag the other patio chair. She sat back and put her feet up. "In case someone needs to stay over again. Or, you know, we've been going out on day trips more often and we have several two or three day trips planned this summer… It might be easier to have some of you stay over the night before we leave. It might cut down on the 'crap, I have to go back home for some random item I was dumb enough to forget but can't live without' delays."

"I imagine they'll still forget things."

"But they'll forget them the night before and not just as we're getting ready to leave."

Suntree gave her a politely skeptical look.

"Okay, I'm delusional," Laney said with a laugh. "But I can hope at least."

"It's your property."

"But, you know… it occurs to me that with everything you guys are doing with him, and how often it seems one of you ends up taking a shower or changing clothes, or lately with Tony taking naps all around the house…" She shrugged. "It might be easier to just have a place for it all."

"Like I said, Lane, it's your property. That said, you know Jamie will be bouncing off the walls ecstatically if you did it."

"Yeah, he likely would." Laney smiled fondly as Harry put his hands on his hips and tapped a foot, glaring at Al.

"If you do it you should hire an elf to come in once or twice a week to help keep up with things," Suntree remarked.

Laney gave him a questioning look.

"It would be two houses. We'd likely be by often, too, if we have some of our stuff here. An elf would be a good idea. And Jamie gets along with the ones working at the USAS and other places we visit."

"Hm. I'll think about it." Laney settled back a little more. "So, Jamie seems to have struck up quite the friendship with, um, Bran? The werewolf."

"Bran, yes. Bran Bragg."

"They've already exchanged three letters and it's only been about six days since Bran's father left the hospital."

Suntree considered her almost questioning statement. "Bran comes from a very secure, safe, settled werewolf community, one of the larger ones in the country. Part of being raised a werewolf in a secure place is that Bran is a very confident and mature young man, but he's enjoying his childhood as well." Suntree tapped the bottom of his juice bottle; it frosted over. "Jamie's rather the same way, you know. He gets on best with adults because they're more mature. In most cases, at least. I'm not sure why he likes Al."

Laney snickered.

"I think he and Bran hit it off because they're so similar. Jamie likes his friends, magical and non-magical, but he gets exasperated with them and has trouble relating to them."

"Don't I know it," Laney muttered.

"There's also the fact that they're coming from two different worlds, to an extent. Bran is actually part of a werewolf community, not from a family of werewolves that have to deal with everyday society. He's only mostly human-"

"I was always given the impression that werewolves were human," Laney interrupted with a frown. "They're cursed, but when they're not under the effects of the curse they're human. And that anyone that says otherwise is also someone likely to talk about Squibs being inferior and Muggleborns polluting the magical world and other nonsense."

"Yes and no."

Laney gave Suntree a look after several moments of silence. "You know I'm going to ask you to explain."

Suntree smiled a little. "You have werewolves that fight the wolf, the change, and everything that goes with it. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, it's a personal decision. And in a lot of cases, it's the best decision. But some werewolves don't fight, they embrace it. That's something that's very hard to do, as I understand it. It involves letting go of feeling human and letting the animal nature have you. For some people it doesn't work at all.

"For other people, they give into the animal nature, but they can't remain who they were. There's something darker, more violent in them, and it turns them into beasts, driven by impulse. That's where you're going to get your mindless violence and carnage that goes hand in hand with the typical werewolf attack. A lot of places that don't have thriving werewolf communities have this problem, and it paints a bad picture of werewolves everywhere."

"And the people that do manage this embracing the wolf thing?" Laney asked after several seconds of thought.

"They come across, usually, as normal people. Um… this is something that's probably going to sound strange, to an extent. It's usually best to have a balanced werewolf try to explain how it works, but… From my understanding, from what I've been told, werewolves tend to look at it as having two separate parts of who they are… but it's actually more complicated than that… I guess first of all I should tell you about the difference between… Well…"

Laney laughed. "You're kind of cute when you're at a loss for words."

"I'm old enough to be your father, Laney, don't call me cute."

Laney laughed even harder. "You're not that old, Sunny."

Suntree snorted. "I'll be sixty next year. You'll be thirty-three. I am that old. If you're trying to flatter me, don't."

"Huh! You're right. Wow, you are old."

Suntree raised his brows at her. "I'll be sixty, not a hundred and sixty. Magical people live longer. I'm older than you, not old."

Laney sank further into her chair, looking torn between embarrassment and amusement. "I really put my foot in that one, didn't I? I'm sorry. You're not that old."

"And yet you continue to laugh."

"It's funny, I don't know why… You're still going to make meatballs for dinner, right?"

"Hm."

"Go on, werewolves, changing, accepting, whatever. Go on."

Suntree gave her a mild look, taking a sip of his juice. "All werewolves have to embrace the wolf, whether they're born or bitten. It's easier for a born werewolf, especially a werewolf that comes from a line of werewolves. With each new generation in a werewolf family, the easier the acceptance of the wolf. It has to do with taming the werewolf magic, or more along the lines of watering it down."

"I hadn't realized born werewolves were very common."

"In a lot of places they aren't. They're seen as being even more dangerous than werewolves bitten, in fact. It's complicated."

"What isn't?" Laney said with a shrug.

"So the acceptance part, the embracing, it's easier for someone born a werewolf because it's already a part of who they are. It's not a foreign magic pressing new feelings and impulses on someone. For someone bitten it's more intense. But they both have to accept the wolf part of them. It's kind of like… a werewolf has to be willing to let something else live inside of them. That's what a bitten werewolf told me once. You have this other awareness inside of you, something more animal, more primal, with different instincts and drives, and you have to be willing to let go of being human, being restricted by human thoughts and beliefs, and try not to suppress feelings that go with that. Does that make sense?"

"I…" Laney considered that. "I think so. I mean, yes, but at the same time, not entirely."

"In the end a werewolf is… a little less human… in the way they perceive the world, their thoughts, their instincts, their reactions. But at the same time, the wolf part of the werewolf is a little more human. You're kind of trading one for the other. You're still entirely wolf and entirely human, but the human has parts of the wolf inside of them and the wolf has parts of the human. The wolf has gained a place in living away from the moon and the human has gained a place living with the moon. That's what someone told me once."

"Okay…"

"It amounts to more control, really. During the full moon, and leading up to and away from it, the wolf instincts are calmed and the human has more influence on what the wolf does. It's incredibly unlikely that the wolf would attack someone that the human knows and cares about, it's less likely that the wolf would want to escape and hunt and attack. And in a lot of cases, werewolves tend to turn on themselves when confined away from people, but a balanced werewolf usually won't have that problem."

"Okay, I see that, I can see that." Laney nodded. "That's a good thing. That sounds like a really good thing."

"It's a very good thing," Suntree agreed.

"So… but what about the rest of the time? How does the wolf influence the person?"

"The biggest change is that a werewolf at peace with the wolf is able to achieve something like an Animagus transformation. They can take the wolf form with a little effort and they won't be infectious."

Laney sat up. "Really?"

"Really. It takes a lot of work, but they can do it."

"I had no idea."

"Most people don't." Suntree shrugged. "To be honest, not even most people in America would be able to tell you that. You're learning a lot of interesting things because the Aurors make it a point to know these things."

"And Jamie makes it a point to know these things," Laney said with a laugh. "So, Animagus-like transformation. Is there anything else?"

"Slight animal behaviors," Suntree said after a moment of thought. "They'll sniff things like food or something that they've never seen before or something they find interesting, that sort of thing. They have the same ability that dogs have, scent layering. It's like the way humans perceive visually, being able to look at a group of objects and see each object, not just the whole of the thing. For example, if you're cooking a soup or something, a dog smells everything in the soup and humans just smell this combination of everything that we know as soup."

"That seems like that'd be hard to get used to."

"That's the beauty of embracing the wolf, though. The wolf is used to it, so you'll be used to it. It just becomes a part of who you are. They're also much more affectionate in the same way. Friends and family, they're always touching, hugging, kissing, and even a lot of things like rubbing and nuzzling. They tend to express themselves with noise in a way that humans don't naturally do. We generally won't make whining noises, or whimper or growl or something like that. They tend to live in packs, those are the werewolf communities. Generally werewolf communities have very limited interaction with non-werewolves."

"And that's the kind of group, or pack I guess, Bran and his family come from?"

"Yes, Bran comes from a community. He's actually from a mixed pack, so they a little more interaction with the outside world. A mixed pack is one made up of born werewolves and bitten werewolves. We don't actually have that many bitten werewolves in this country at this point because of the communities and outreach programs that we have."

"That's just… Definitely different from my understanding of werewolves."

"A lot of places have more archaic views of werewolves. And they're such a minority group that they don't have the power to start to make changes, so it just continues on."

"Why is America different?"

"It's a combination of the fact that we have a lot of tribal magic influences in a lot of places, and there was also a point where people started to do things completely opposite from what Europe was doing in an effort to separate ourselves further as an independent magical community."

Laney snorted. "That makes a lot of sense."

Suntree nodded. "So that's where things stand. The differences between them are why Bran and Jamie are getting along so well, I daresay. Bran does come from a rather different culture. He's only mostly human. His world is something very unfamiliar to Jamie, and Jamie's world is something mostly unfamiliar to Bran. At this point they're both just really curious about each other. That's probably part of the driving force of their friendship."

"Ah. That makes sense."

Suntree grinned slightly. "Despite the fact that Jamie's involved, yes, it does make sense."

Laney laughed, leaning back in her chair, watching as Harry directed Al around the yard with stern waving of a stick he'd found. "He really can be quite the little dictator."

Suntree snorted. "He's very take-charge. It'll serve him well later in life, especially since he's not overbearing or arrogant about it." Suntree set his juice on the table, eyes bright with amusement. "I think he might get it from his mother."

Laney rolled her eyes.

"Just saying."

The back door opened, bringing with it a quick gust of cool air. Laney dropped her feet from the chair, pushing it away from her. A few moments later Tony settled into the chair carefully, the red spots gone and replaced with areas of light red, like he'd been sunburned in little dots.

"So that's how magic cures chicken pox," Laney said with amusement. "You look like-"

"I'm sure I do," Tony interrupted with a vaguely grumpy look. "I'm just glad I'm not sneezing magic all over the place. Spots I can deal with, even if they itch."

"I don't know," Laney said with an amused smile. "It was kind of funny when you turned some of your chess pieces into fish a couple days ago."

"They refuse to let me play chess now." Tony sighed. "Not even Jamie can get them to reconsider."

Laney snickered.

Tony turned his head to study Harry; he had gone back to wand waving and writing. "I see he's still in possession of my wand," Tony said dryly. "We should probably get him another wand, one that isn't half blocked."

"I was thinking we should get him a custom wand made at the beginning of the year."

Tony looked over to Suntree. "I agree he needs a custom wand. I'm not so sure he should be using a custom wand for a lot of his lessons and practices, though. It's bound to be quite powerful."

"How many wands can he have?" Laney glanced between Suntree and Tony, looking puzzled. "I think you're only supposed to have one in Britain."

"Most people only need one."

"Wands are odd here." Tony reached up to scratch his cheek and stopped just short with a sigh. "Just about everyone has a wand, though not always. Wand use is discouraged in most situations, you see, considering we practically live on top of non-magical people. The ninety-seven rule is all well and good-"

"Ninety-seven rule?" Laney interrupted.

"You're allowed to use discreet magic in front of non-magicals just so long as the magic is something that ninety-seven percent of the people that might witness it are willing to write it off as a trick of the eye or something else," Suntree answered. "If I'm not mistaken, in Europe, and especially Britain and other nearby areas, you're not allowed to use magic in front of non-magicals at all."

"Are you ever mistaken?" Tony muttered. Suntree ignore him.

"No, you're not. But isn't that a bit dangerous? I mean, how on earth is someone supposed to be able to tell if something they're about to do will be ignored by ninety-seven percent of the people that see it?" Laney asked.

"When you're learning spells in school, they'll tell you which spells fall under the ninety-seven rule. There're some that are a little ambiguous, and there are occasionally spells that they don't teach that would fall under the rule, but for the most part, you'll pick it up from school." Suntree stopped a moment. "And there's a list you can get from any government office."

Laney nodded slowly.

Tony reached up to scratch his arm and stopped with a vaguely cross look. "What was I saying, Sunny?"

"'Wand use is discouraged in most situations, you see, considering we practically live on top of non-magical people. The ninety-seven rule is all well and good…' And then you trailed off."

Tony shook his head. "That was verbatim, wasn't it?"

"It was."

"You are a freak."

"I'll remember that next time you ask me where you left off."

"A very useful freak, mind you. But a freak. But as I was saying, it's all well and good, but if you have to pull out a wand every time you do magic, that's not very discrete. To be honest with you, a lot of places began to treat wandless magic as something too difficult to be achieved by people, or not even possible at all, to curb the instances of magic in front of non-magical people. And in places where you see a lot of unrest in the magical world – Europe seems to be one lately – then making wandless magic seem less possible helps control just how bad things get to a certain extent."

"And it sure makes it easier to detain prisoners," Suntree said mildly. "Those magic blocking bracelets and cuffs are rather hard to make. It's like making a broom, only an expert can do it right."

"Ah." Laney nodded slowly.

"Hey!" Harry opened the porch door and came in, lifting his shirt up to wipe the sweat from his face. "Wow, it's hot out."

"Jamie, don't do that. Use a towel or something. That's almost as bad as wiping your mouth on your sleeve."

"Eww, Mom, no it's not. Don't be weird." Harry came around the table to steal what remained of Suntree's juice, eyeing Tony. "You supposed to be out and about?"

"All cleared by the healer. You don't have to levitate my butt back to bed, child. And by the way, that wasn't necessary even in the first place. A lot of bed rest doesn't mean don't let him be out of bed ever."

"You got better and you didn't spread your plague," Harry told him with a sniff. "I did my job. The healer even told me that I was doing a superb job of taking care of you."

Tony snorted.

Harry took a drink. "So, what'cha talkin' about?"

"Wands."

Harry gave Suntree an expectant look. "What? How you don't pick your nose with them? What about them?"

"How we don't use them that often in America."

"Use 'em often enough." Harry stole the last patio chair from under Suntree's feet. "But not, like, for everyday stuff. Unless you're, like, totally lazy."

"Beautiful summary. That brings clarity to the entire issue. What would we have done without you?"

"Whatever." Harry rolled his eyes at Suntree.

"Where's Al?"

"He's going to grab our brooms from the magic shed. We're going to go flying on the pitch now that the hiding charms are working properly. It'll be so great."

Suntree clasped his hands over his stomach. "Hm."

"So!" Harry drank the last of the juice and put the bottle back on the table. "See ya!" He dashed off the porch, slowing long enough to make sure the porch door didn't bang, and joined Al on his trek to the spot in the woods just beyond the backyard.

"That kid…" Tony smiled a little.

"Most people only have one wand," Suntree said, picking up the conversation again. "Because they only need one wand. There's no law about having more than one, but it just isn't necessary. Most children start off with a starter wand, mind you, but those are little more than toys to an adult."

"Law enforcement officers are expected to have a backup wand." Tony reached out with his foot to snag the empty chair and drag it over to put his feet up before Suntree could. "Aurors of course fall into that category. I have three wands, myself."

"So do I."

"I'm pretty sure Al has just the two, though," Tony said after a moment of thought. "But he has the entire sound magic thing, so he's ahead of the game, anyway.

"And you carry them all on you?" Laney asked.

"No, not usually. When we do bodyguard activities I bring a second wand. I don't expect trouble, of course, and I really doubt that there'll be trouble for a good many years to come, but it's good to be prepared."

"I almost always have a backup wand, myself." Tony frowned. "Jamie hid it, though. Didn't want me doing magic at all while I was sick, which I can understand, it just feels a little strange not knowing where it is."

"And custom wands are the norm here?"

"Yes and no."

"So help me God Suntree, if you don't explain that…"

"I was just pausing to take a breath. Am I not allowed to breathe, now?"

Laney gave him a look.

"Anyway, as I was saying, it used to be that most children would get a custom wand made when they went off to school. A custom wand is obviously going to be much better matched with your magic, since it's being created for it, instead of matched to it. But a trend started several generations ago to hold off on getting a custom wand until a child graduates from school so that their magic has developed and matured further. There was a rise in pre-made wand sales attached to that, and people just decided after a while that while a custom wand would probably match better, the pre-made wands they'd been using for almost a decade were doing pretty well by them and there wasn't a real need to spend the time and money on a custom wand."

"A lot of children just go with pre-made wands and stay with them as adults." Tony slouched a little in the chair, but carefully. "Traditional families, a fair number of law enforcement families, children of the well connected, rich, famous and important, and children going to the more selective schools tend to still follow the path of custom wands these days. Your average magical child isn't as likely to get one."

"Some professions require a custom wand. Professions where that extra bit of control, power and connection will make a difference: Auror and most other levels of law enforcement, warders, cursebreakers, healers, the like." Suntree pulled his wand out and rolled it across the table towards Laney. She grabbed it before it could roll off the edge of the table, looking a little startled and holding it a little awkwardly by several fingers.

"Take a close look at my wand," Suntree told her with a touch of amusement. "If you look at the end you hold – the other end– you'll see my wand is actually made up of two different woods. It's primarily an oak wand, but there's a thin shell inside of Douglas-fir."

Laney studied the wand carefully. "Is that normal?"

"Not really. More than one core is normal, but two woods is a fair bit unusual. But I get much crisper, clearer, smoother results from that wand than any pre-made wand I've ever used. I'm actually often quite surprised that Jamie can use that wand at all, it has some very unusual properties and most people can't even get it to light up a room. Which has worked out for me very well in the past, I must admit. If someone gets my wand from me, at most they just can't use it, and in several very interesting instances the wand caused serious damage."

"Here you go!" Laney rolled the wand back over to Suntree.

"It wouldn't have hurt you," Suntree said with amusement, picking the wand up.

"I don't care!"

Suntree tucked the wand away with a little smile. "We might get him another pre-made wand. We'll have to see."

Laney shrugged.

"I'm going to go get another drink." Suntree stood up and stretched. "Anyone want anything?"

Laney shook her head.

"Please, dear God and Oz and the mighty tooth fairies of Atlantis, tell me that you have root beer."

Laney gave Tony an odd look. "I have no idea."

"There's root beer," Suntree answered. "It's in the pantry, so you'll need ice with it. And you've been spending entirely too much time with Jamie."

"Don't bother with the ice, I'll drink it warm. And you people left me at his mercy because you didn't want to deal with the pox plague. You can't complain now that I've caught the weird."

"Sunny." Laney tipped her head back to look at him. "How is it you know what I have in the pantry and fridge when I don't?"

"I'm special."

"Freak," Tony muttered.

Suntree gave Tony a mild look. "Do you want that root beer?"

"You're special."

"That's what I thought." Suntree headed inside.

Laney studied Tony. "You sure you're feeling all right? You look a little flushed."

"How can you tell? I look a little spotty."

Laney sat up to rest a hand against Tony's forehead. "A little warm. But you were cleared by the healer. Right?"

"As if I would lie about that when I know Jamie's going to ask the next time he sees the healer."

Laney grinned and tweaked Tony's nose before sitting back.

"And here we are." Suntree set the root beer on the table as he passed and resettled, already sipping on a bottle of juice.

"Why do I have root beer?" Laney asked. "I don't buy it, I don't drink it. Jamie doesn't drink it. Jamie almost never drinks soda. Tony didn't know it was here-"

"Al," Suntree interrupted. "That would be my educated guess."

"Ah." Laney sat up again, resting an arm on the table. "Hey, about the werewolf thing. Jamie really, really wants to visit Bran and his family. He hasn't said anything since we first talked about it, but I can tell. Would that even be possible some day?"

"It'd be possible any time you want," Suntree said with a shrug. "It's a good community, a very good pack, a very safe environment."

"You sound pretty sure of that."

"I am. Was he just invited by Bran, or was he sent an actual invitation?"

"An invitation."

"Then that's absolutely and completely safe and bound to be a lot of fun. Not that it wouldn't be safe if Bran had just invited him offhand, but an actual invitation means that it's a pack agreement and a pack invitation. When a pack invites someone to visit, they welcome the person as pack and will protect the person as pack."

"Ah."

"Absolutely trustworthy," Suntree continued. "We actually have two Aurors who are a part of that pack."

Laney stared at him. "You have… _werewolves_ in the _Aurors_?"

"Why not? You can't beat a werewolf's nose for tracking someone hidden by magic and from magic. They're quicker, stronger, steadier, and anti-Animagus wards don't affect them. They're some of the best agents we have."

"Oh…"

"Hasn't always been that way," Tony put in. "The USAS wasn't prejudiced against them, exactly, but they couldn't qualify on account of being under a changing curse. But when, oh, forty or fifty years ago a couple of werewolves very greatly assisted the USAS with a case, it served to open the way towards the regulations being changed."

"There're only six werewolves in the USAS right now," Suntree said. "That I'm aware of, at least. Two of them come from the pack Bran belongs to."

"So it would be fine for Jamie to visit?" Laney asked slowly. "I don't entirely want him to, but at the same time…"

Suntree raised his brows slightly. "At the same time?"

"I don't want to stop him from doing things in the magical world because I'm too overprotective. If you think it's a good idea for him to visit, that it's safe, then I think I might let him."

"It is safe. I'd never even think about putting him into a situation like that if it wasn't safe."

"Right, of course. You're a bodyguard and all."

"I'm someone who loves him very much and all," Suntree said with a touch of reproach in his voice. "I happen to feel the same as Jamie does about our relationship. We're a great, big, extended family."

Laney groaned. "Sorry, Sunny. I didn't mean that to come out the way it sounded. You're family."

Tony smiled a little. "The best family is the family you choose. Jamie keeps telling me that."

"And he's certainly chosen us," Suntree put in mildly.

"You're all family. I feel the same way as Jamie. Believe me, if anyone knows how overrated blood family is and how important making your own family is, it's me."

Suntree nodded.

"And that's why I'm trying not to make all the decisions these days. Have you noticed?"

Suntree nodded again. "We've noticed."

Laney sighed. "At least Jamie seems to have avoided developing my foot in mouth syndrome."

Tony chuckled.

Laney sighed again. "So, definitely safe? A good idea to let him visit?"

"Definitely safe. And I think he'd have a lot of fun, make a lot of new friends and have a great time."

Laney considered Suntree's words. "Why do I get the feeling there's a 'but' somewhere in there?"

"Because there is." Suntree chuckled. "To put it quite plainly, werewolves that master the Animagus style transformation aren't true Animagi. The magic doesn't work the same. So to transform they have to remove their clothing. So most of them don't bother putting them on in the first place."

Laney stared at him for several moments. "You mean to tell me Bran's pack run around naked all the time?"

"I wouldn't say all the time. And some of them are dressed, or half dressed, depending on preference."

Laney continued to stare at him. "You think it'd be a good idea to send him to a werewolf nudist colony?"

"I think it wouldn't be a bad idea. It's a different culture." Suntree shrugged. "You can wait until he's older, you can say no altogether. It's your choice."

"Suntree… I'm trying to break him of the habit of running around naked. Sending him to visit a nudist werewolf colony, pack, whatever, it won't help me."

Tony laughed. "He doesn't run around naked. He runs around in shorts."

"Granted, he does have a habit of lounging around his room without anything on," Suntree mused. "But it's not like he's running around naked. And we probably should knock before we go in."

"Okay, yeah, there's nothing wrong with being comfortable in your skin, but… I really don't think I want my ten-year-old son to see a bunch of strangers naked, okay? Skin is good. Naked stranger skin, not so good."

"Well, I know someone…" Tony trailed off at Laney's look. "What?"

"Nothing, that's just… usually Sunny's line. It's weird hearing someone else say they know someone."

Tony gave her a look. "I know people, too, you know."

"And I don't know everyone," Suntree put in.

"Anyway, as I was saying before Laney goggled at me-"

"I did not goggle."

"Did so goggle."

"I did not goggle. What is goggling, anyway?"

"It's goggling. And you so did."

"I did not- oh my God, this is what happens when you spend all your time around a ten-year-old, isn't it?"

"That was priceless." Tony snickered. "As I was saying, I know someone, yes, I do, I know someone who occasionally spends time with a werewolf pack. She says that they're usually quite understanding about the nudity issue and they'll wear clothing during your visit."

"Really? Well, that makes sense." Laney gave Suntree a look. "Why didn't you just tell me that?"

"Uh, maybe I didn't know? It happens. Rarely. When the moon is full and the-"

"Whatever." Laney rolled her eyes. "Okay. Quite. It wouldn't hurt to check."

"And keep in mind that a visit can just be for an afternoon or he could stay one night and come back the next or something," Tony put in.

"That's true. I guess I was thinking in terms of multiple days because when he does visit people, it tends to go that way."

Tony picked up his drink again. "Of course, if he's really having a great time and they extend a longer invitation, you should consider letting him stay. It's pretty rare for an outsider to spend time within a werewolf pack."

"And just because of that it means they're going to want to adopt Jamie," Laney grumbled, smiling all the same. "Because if it's unusual it's guaranteed Jamie will be involved in it in some way."

* * *

"Mooom!" Harry dropped his backpack and hugged her tightly around the middle.

"Hey, Jamie." She chuckled a little breathlessly, hugging back. "Have a good visit?"

"It was _amazing_! Werewolves are so _awesome_!"

"Glad to hear it. I'd hate to think you just spent ten days somewhere not awesome."

Harry pulled back to grin at her. "It was so awesome! I thought we'd Portkey or something, but no! Sunny and Tony actually had to drive me out there because they've got the whole works of counter charms for Apparation and Portkeys and everything. It's super defensive! And the place is practically in the middle of nowhere! In a town that's falling apart! A real live ghost town, Mom!"

Laney's mouth twitched. "Real live, huh?"

"Real live! Except there're no ghosts." Harry gave her a wide-eyed look. "Did you know if magical people become ghosts that other magical people can see them? I didn't know that! How did I not know that?"

"You're not Sunny," Laney said dryly. "And yes, I was aware of that. I can see them, too."

"We stopped at a little restaurant and inn type place on the way back and it was magical and there were ghosts inside. Actual real live ghosts, Mom. It was so awesome!"

"I just bet it was."

"They knew tons of stories and floated around talking to people and answering questions and stuff. One of them floated right through Suntree and you should have seen the look on his face! It was hilarious. I need to get a camera, Mom, I really do. Like, a magical camera. One of those super duper deluxe everything kitchen sink kinds."

"Kitchen sink? You want a kitchen sink in your camera?"

Harry actually stopped to think about that. "That could be a little bit awesome… but Mom! You know what I meant!"

Laney rolled her eyes. "So how was your visit to the werewolf pack?"

Harry gave her a knowing look as he followed her into the kitchen. "Your changing the subject will not work. I am too wily and- ooh! Ants on a log!" Harry plucked one of the snacks off a plate and sat down at the table as he began to munch on it. "So good. I have missed you, ants on a log."

"Nice to know what's important in your life."

"I missed you, too, Mom. But, you know, it's ants on a log."

"And they didn't have peanut butter and celery and raisins there? You couldn't have made some if it'd even occurred to you?"

"No, they didn't. It was really weird. They actually hunted animals and, like, cooked them over a fire in the middle of a great big clearing surrounded by, like, these little rounded wood houses that were actually, like, really pretty normal inside, but no, they didn't have peanut butter. It was really weird."

Laney looked at him with bemusement. "What?"

"They didn't have any."

"Explain everything else."

Harry shrugged. "It was kind of like seeing one of those, like, one of those native culture shows. Because they had, like-"

"Jamie, edit," Laney interrupted. "We're breaking this habit, remember?"

Harry huffed. "Okay. It was, like, see, one of those scenes from, like- from a show about, like- argh! From a show about native cultures!" Harry took another bite and crunched it with a faint frown.

"Yes, I can just see the interview now," Suntree said dryly from the doorway. He came into the room and went over to the fridge. "And what's your view on that, Mr. Potter? My view, like, is, like, I totally, like, think, like, my view on that is, like-"

"Shh!" Harry made a zipper motion over his mouth. "Unnecessary commentary from the peanut gallery!"

Suntree grinned at him. "You were, like, saying?"

Harry made a face at him. "It was like – and I can use this like, it's appropriate – like one of those shows showing you native cultures in other places. See? I can do it."

Laney rolled her eyes. "Go on, native shows."

"There were these, like- Gah! Now that I'm thinking about it, I can't avoid them!"

Laney laughed. "Just talk then."

"Okay! But no, really. The outside of the place was seriously like a ghost town. One of those abandoned ones that you drive through and it's, like, all creepy. One of those. Stuff falling apart and cobwebs everywhere and all that. But you go into the buildings- wow! It was like stepping into a forest! I swear! Each one had a large section of real forest in it! And there was some sort of anchored, modified Portkey active between all the buildings so they were all connected. And you could walk from building to building from inside the buildings and be in a forest and not even know it! It was so cool!"

"That sounds pretty awesome," Laney agreed. "And try not to talk with your mouth full."

"And, Mom, they lived in, like, these little wooden houses that really looked like those really primitive kind of hut things, but inside, they were a lot like a normal house. So that was really awesome. And all of these little wooden houses were around this huge fire in this huge clearing in a forest area, and the werewolves would, like, go out and hunt in the forest and come back with animals and stuff and cut them open and clean them out and just cook them right there. And it was actually really good! So good! But they didn't have anything like peanut butter or jelly or waffles or anything like that! So that's why we stopped at the inn place on the way back to get some real food."

Laney snorted. "Some real food."

"Yes, some real food. Like celery and peanut butter." Harry took another crunching bite.

"So let's hear some stories about your stay with the werewolf pack," Laney said after watching Harry crunch for a few moments. "A pack that kept their clothes on, if they know what's good for them."

"Mom." Harry rolled his eyes and ignored the knowing smirk Suntree was sending him from behind Laney. "There were clothes. They existed. And this place was so seriously cool! There was an actual real river stream thing in the buildings! It was seriously awesome."

"Suntree, stop hovering behind me. Sit down, have some ants on a log."

"Glorious."

"And don't you dare enchant the raisins to run up and down the log while you make little comments of distress and threaten to eat them," Laney warned.

"You must have me mistaken for someone mature." Suntree settled at the table and reached for one of the creations.

"I will get up and find The Spoon."

"I'll summon it for you, Mom," Harry offered cheerfully.

"That won't be necessary."

Suntree raised his brows at Harry and Harry raised his right back. Their brow raising contest was interrupted a moment later by the chiming ring that signaled the opening of the outside door in the laundry room. A moment later, Green came into the kitchen, dripping snow.

"It's in the middle of summer and you're getting snow all over my clean floors," Laney groused.

Harry snickered and flicked his fingers at Green. The snow disappeared, the floor dried and Green's hair became a lion's mane of frizzy honey-brown around his face. "Whoops!"

"Someone needs to stop overcharging his spells," Green grumbled, smoothing his hair back down into its usual non-frizzy state. He pulled it back into a tail just below his neck. "Hey! Ants on a log!"

Laney snorted as Green came over to sprawl in a chair, reaching for a celery stick and giving it a little wriggle. The raisins began to roll up and down the log, scurrying to the far end as he leaned in to take a bite. Laney gave him a flat look.

"What? There's nothing like seein' a bunch of raisins flee in terror of being eaten."

Laney groaned.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, hoarding several of the snacks on a quickly summoned plate. "And why did you come in covered in snow?"

"I came to hear about your pack visit, of course. And sorry, kid, where I just came from is classified. You lose."

Harry pouted. "You suck."

"Your visit?"

"It was awesome! It was like an abandoned town like you see on TV, all old, wood buildings, falling apart and all that. And…" Harry trailed off, staring at Green's celery.

Green gave them an innocent look. His raisins kept trying to burrow under the peanut butter. "What?"

"I'm beginning to understand why none of you are married," Laney muttered.

Green laughed. "Question of maturity aside, my hours and always on-call status make it nearly impossible to have a serious girlfriend." He took a bite. "Or boyfriend."

Harry almost fell out of his seat. "What!"

Green gave him a mildly surprised look. "What?"

"Did you just- you just said- you just-"

"Boyfriend?" Green asked. "What about it?"

"Boyfriend?"

"Yeah, boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Harry glanced over at Laney. Laney was picking raisins off her log with a vaguely amused look. "Boyfriend?"

Green nodded slowly. "Yeah…"

"Boyfriend?"

"Yes, Jamie," Green said with amusement of his own. "I like guys, too. It happens."

"Boyfriend!"

"Yes."

"Oh…"

Green studied him. "Does that bother you?"

"What? No! I mean, no. No. I'm- I'm cool. Way cool. No bothering. Perfectly awesome."

"Glad to hear it, then." Green licked some peanut butter from his thumb.

Harry fidgeted a little. "But, um…?"

"What?"

"Does that- I mean, it- you're an _Auror_."

Green gave him a look. "So? There're other Aurors that like men and women. And plenty that just like one or the other."

"Oh."

"There's nothing wrong with it."

"Oh."

"The magical world views it with a little more tolerance, for the most part," Green continued, eyeing Harry closely. "I mean, we do reflect the non-magical culture around us, but we also tend to be a little more accepting of it."

"O…kay."

"You sure you're okay?"

"Sure! Just, you know, kind of, you know… you know…"

"Really? You seem a little-"

"Green," Suntree interrupted mildly. "It's just, you know, like he said."

Green studied Suntree for a moment before shrugging. He turned his attention back to the raisins rolling desperately away from the one end of the ever shortening log.

Laney sighed and shook a raisin free celery stick in Green's direction. "Lovely. I have an almost gay friend now and he can't even match his own clothes, let alone shop with me for mine."

Green gave her an amused look. "Because liking guys automatically means being into that clothing stuff?"

"Of course. I thought everyone knew that. Gay men have the best taste."

"I don't know what kind of gay men you've known in your life-"

"I've known a few. Best girlfriends I've ever had."

"Bit of a stereotype there," Green said with a snort. "Liking guys does not automatically mean you're let in on the secrets of 'girl stuff', and it certainly doesn't mean I get a monthly newsletter chock full of fashion information"

"It's obviously not the case with you. You abuse socks."

Green gave her a look. "Wearing mismatched socks is not abusing them. For all you know, I could be making some sort of statement about the ridiculousness of having to worry about matching an item of clothing that people hardly ever see."

"But you're not."

"I could be."

"But you're not."

"So how about your werewolf visit?" Suntree asked Harry, interrupting them. "Did they wear socks?"

Harry snickered. "Not really."

Laney looked over sharply. "But they wore other clothes, right?"

"Mom, clothes were worn," Harry told her in exasperation.

"And you wore all _your_ clothes, right? All the time, right?"

"Oh yeah, I wore every single item of clothing I brought with me every day, every hour of the day and night. Even in the shower. Why, it's a shame I forgot my ski mask and mittens! They could actually see some of my skin!"

Laney narrowed her eyes. "You can feel free to summon that spoon now, young man."

"Sorry, Mom, my summoning skills took a nap when you said you didn't need them or love them earlier."

"You-" Laney stopped when the phone in her office rang. She got up, giving Harry a stern look. "I have to get that. I'm expecting a call on a photo series."

"Ooh, you're in trouble," Green remarked once she left.

"You don't know the half of it." Suntree gave Harry an amused look once they heard the door to the office close. "If she finds out you weren't wearing clothes-"

"She won't," Harry interrupted shortly. "You wouldn't even know if you hadn't shown up half an hour early."

"You pranced about in the nude?" Green asked, mouth twitching.

"I didn't prance. And it was cultural."

"I think you're just a little nudist in the making."

"Skin's natural." Harry summoned the raisins from Laney's plate and then grumbled when they shot past him and ended up on the floor. "So there." Harry banished the raisins to the garbage with more care.

Green snorted before turning his attention to his mostly eaten celery stick. The raisins were clustered at one end, rocking back and forth in lieu of rolling up and down. "Oh noes, he's going to eat us," Green said in a high pitched voice, giving the celery a shake. "We've run out of log, fellow ants. We shall have to bravely face the mouth of destiny. We are-"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Harry interrupted. "Seriously."

"Oh, because this is somehow worse than you biting the heads off gummy bears and making them run around yellin' about not having heads?" Green snorted. "Yeah, right, whatever."

"But I'm, like, ten. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Green shrugged. "Pack visit? That's what I came over, you know. I could be out in the wilds of Alaska right now."

Harry perked up. "Wilds of Alaska?"

Green made a zippering motion across his mouth.

"You're no fun." Harry suck out his tongue. "No fun at all. You suck the fun out of life."

Suntree coughed a little. "You were going on about it being out in the middle of nowhere," he reminded Harry. "And the awesome forest in the buildings."

"Oh yeah! It's totally out in the middle of nowhere," Harry said, getting up to get a glass of water. "And… I should probably wait for Mom to come back, actually." He sat back down. No sooner had he set his water down that Green snagged it.

"Green!"

"Just taking a drink." He saluted Harry with the glass. "You should make your Mom dinner sometime."

Harry stared at him. "Where did that come from? How did you get that out of my water? My water, by the way. Hand it back over."

Green pushed the water over to Harry. "Just thinking. It'd be nice. She's always cooking for us."

Harry snickered. "So it sounds like everyone else should make Mom dinner sometime. I'm ten-"

"Good time to start learning." Green stood and made his way over to the pantry. "So let's see what we've got here…"

Harry twisted around to watch him. "You can cook?"

"Sure can. Pretty good, too, if'n you want my opinion on it."

Harry snickered again. "Whatever."

"Green, you've just had a snack. Get out of the pantry. I'll be starting dinner in a few hours."

Green looked over his shoulder with a grin. Laney was giving him an exasperated look from the kitchen doorway, her hands on her hips. "No, you won't."

"Yes, I will."

"Nope. I'll be starting dinner in a few hours."

"Thanks," Laney said dryly, "but hotdogs or hamburgers won't be on the menu tonight."

"Too right you are. I was thinkin' chicken. You always have chicken… Hey, you've got pork chops. How about pork chops tonight? And some potatoes, maybe some green beans…"

"You can cook?"

"Why does everyone always sound so surprised by that?" Green asked, looking over his shoulder again. "Seriously. I grew up back in the mountains. Going out to eat somewhere happened about as often as Christmas. Granted, Mom never set out to teach me, but I picked it up certain enough."

"I see."

"So Jamie and I will be fixing dinner tonight."

"Oi!" Harry twisted around to look at him. "Me?"

Green looked back with a slightly raised brow. "That's right, you."

"Don't drag me into this cooking madness."

"Prancing about?"

Harry glared. "Fine."

Laney looked between them before shaking her head. "This will be interesting."

Green smiled. "O' ye of little faith."

"Me time, now! I got lots to say about my trip!"


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: Joy!

Betas: Megan, Jynx67 and Madam Whitbrook. Thanks!

AN: Review responses link found in profile.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 29

* * *

"What's with the face?"

Harry turned the television off with a faint frown. "I just saw a special on Issues and Controversies. The USAS uses assassins?"

"Ah." Tony sat down next to him on the couch. "They do."

"That just seems… wrong…"

"Why?"

"I don't know. It's law enforcement. It's supposed to protect people and arrest people. You're not supposed to kill people. That's the point, isn't it? Arresting people? Because everyone deserves- well, no. Not everyone deserves their day in court, but everyone should get it, shouldn't they? Isn't that the point? That you're no better than the bad guys if you just start killing them?"

Tony studied him seriously. "Can I be frank with you? What I end up telling you might be classified information, depending on where our conversation goes."

"Please do."

Tony pulled his wand and made several complex motions towards each corner of the room. It felt like something heavy had settled over them once he was done. "Standard privacy and secrecy wards," he explained at seeing Harry's puzzled look.

"Okay."

"The USAS does use assassins, as the media likes to call them. We officially call them EOAs – Extraordinary Operation Agents. We unofficially officially call them removal agents. The USAS does acknowledge their use of 'expedient measures' in 'drastic or unusual circumstances', but little else has been said officially. A lot of what you see on these shows debating the use of assassination by the USAS is more speculation and fancy."

"But… the USAS still just kills people…"

Tony considered that. "The USAS has removed people that represented a continuing threat."

"But they're still passing judgment and acting on that judgment! They're judge, jury and executioner all in one."

"Ah. I know what show you watched now." Tony inclined his head. "Technically that's true, but it's complicated."

"So it's just true. You can't be technically dead. You can't be complicatedly dead."

Tony licked his lips. "There are always shades of gray, wildcat," he said softly after a moment. "How about an example? Say, Hitler? If someone had the opportunity to just remove him, should they have taken it? Or should they have tried to arrest him?"

Harry stared at him. "Well…"

"How about the Cleir Killers? You covered them in your history with John?"

Harry nodded slowly. "Sort of."

"Two brothers that went on a rampage in New England about half a century ago. They killed twenty-three people before they were caught, put on trial and then they walked away because of a technicality. It took another four years to find them, and by the time authorities did, they'd killed an additional thirty-one people. And they almost got off a second time. A lot of grief, fear and terror could have been avoided if they'd been killed before they disappeared that second time. All of it happening in one little magical area."

Harry fidgeted. "I guess so…"

"Listen, I'm not saying it's right to make the decision to kill someone without due process. I'm just not saying it's wrong."

Harry worried at his bottom lip. "I guess…"

"And you know how dangerous it could be for non-magical people to find out about the magical world. Let's say you encounter someone in a position to do a lot of harm if they talk and the person is one of those rare people that memory charms won't work on. What do you do? Cross your fingers and hope they don't say anything? Assign people to them for the rest of their life in the hopes they'll be able to stop the person from saying something? Lock him up for the rest of his life somewhere? The fate of millions of magical people could rest in the hands of one person. Some people would say that's too much of a threat to be allowed. What would you do?"

"I… don't know," Harry murmured after a few moments.

"There're real assassins, too, and contract killers of various kinds. Some people say you should send a killer to catch a killer. Some people say you should take out a contract killer when you have the chance."

"I… But that's all complicated stuff!"

Tony gave him a sober nod. "Exactly. Believe me, the USAS doesn't just lightly kill. You've no doubt already learned that an agent who kills has to endure months of questioning and reviews afterward. We don't treat death lightly. We take it very seriously."

"But…"

"Yes?"

"Okay, so, so maybe… maybe there are some times, maybe… But- but what kind of person could kill? Just kill like that?" Harry asked at last. "What kind of person? What kind of person just kills someone because they might one day be a threat? Because they've done something in the past? What kind of person can just spend their entire life killing other people?"

Tony reached out to smooth Harry's hair back. "The USAS doesn't kill nearly often enough for it to be a full time position for a single person, let alone for it to support multiple people. The agents that have the mindset and training necessary are pretty much everyday agents. C2, certainly, but everyday agents. Occasionally something will come up and they'll get an EOA call and that's that. You just do what you have to do."

"But… I can't… The kind of person, though…"

"Jamie… listen, they're more or less normal people. Most of them come from a background that's very different from other people, a background that instilled in them a different set of moral values, or a different idea of acceptable measures, or they have some sort of key psychological difference that allows them to kill without being wracked by guilt endlessly afterward. But they're normal people. These shows make them out to be monsters to outrage the public, but it's not true. They work as an EOA for anywhere from five to fifteen years, and then that's it."

"But they still…"

"Jamie," Tony said quietly. "It's not too different from an Auror being willing to use deadly measures to protect themselves or others. In a lot of cases, once an Auror finds one of these people, it's a 'me or them' situation. It becomes self defense."

Harry fidgeted and shrugged a little.

"They're not faceless monsters, kid. You've actually met Aurors that are also EOAs."

Harry gave him a startled look. "What? No way! Who?"

"I probably shouldn't say, but…" Tony reached out to smooth Harry's hair back again. "But I will. You remember Andy from training practices? Andy Kiddress?"

Harry nodded slowly.

"He's been an EOA for a few years now."

"There's no way. He's so nice! He was so incredibly nice!"

"Being willing to kill doesn't mean a person is a monster."

"But he's so nice…"

"Kari Ambrough, too."

Harry shook his head. "I'm not believing that one. No way. There's just no way. There's- no. Just no."

"Six years now."

Harry shook his head. "No. She's just… there's no way. No."

"She's funny, sweet, soft spoken and gentle, with a soft spot for pouting kids?"

"Yeah! And she always has lollipops with her, too! Those good ones, not the crappy ones."

Tony chuckled a little. "Well, lollipops or not, she's still an EOA."

Harry just gave him a doubtful look.

"Kim Raynold."

"She's got kids! I've met them! No way, not possible. She's got kids."

Tony snorted. "There's no logic to that."

"She's got kids."

"She left the EOA program two years ago, so granted, she wasn't an EOA while she had the children. But she had been in the past."

"Nope."

Tony snorted again. "Yes, she was."

Harry settled back, pulling a pillow onto his lap and playing with a fraying end. "That's really weird. I just… that's too weird."

"That's the way it goes."

"That's too weird."

"Believe me?"

Harry shrugged a little. "I don't know." He gave Tony an odd look. "How do you know all that, anyway? Wouldn't that information be classified to the maximum amount of classifiable or something?"

Tony considered Harry for a few seconds. "A lot of EOAs know each other."

Harry stared at him. "It sounds like… like you're saying…"

Tony gave a small nod. "I am."

Harry continued to stare at him. "No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes, Jamie."

"But you're Tony!"

Tony laughed. "That I am."

"But…"

"It's part of the job, wildcat."

"But…"

"Don't love me anymore?"

"Don't be retarded." Harry fidgeted with the frayed end. "Are you serious?"

"I am."

"But how can you _do_ that?"

Tony sat back. "So far… I've had three EO assignments. One of them, a necromancer, the USAS tracked for six years. He was almost caught countless times during that time, but he had a way of slipping through wards, and when he couldn't do that, he'd have a small army of zombies waiting for the capture team. Eventually the decision was made to just remove him before he sent another graveyard full of zombies into an unsuspecting non-magical town."

"And you got him?" Harry breathed, wide-eyed.

"I got him."

"Serves him right. You don't fuck around with zombies."

Tony's mouth twitched, eyebrows going up. "No, you don't. That's one thing I have to say about a lot of the European bad guys, they tend not to fuck around with zombies. Then again, when they do, they tend to be free roaming zombies. Our bad guys tend to take shortcuts and have to be present to keep them animated."

Harry nodded wisely.

Tony's mouth twitched again. "So is that an acceptable use of removing a threat?"

Harry fidgeted a little. "Maybe. What about the other two?"

"The second one I'm not allowed to talk about. The last time was someone practicing blood sacrifice. His sacrifice of choice was children from the streets because… there was no one there to care about them and fight back."

"But you cared," Harry said quietly. "You fought back."

"I did." Tony bared his teeth a little. "And that's definitely a good reason as far as I'm concerned."

Harry hugged the pillow close. "It is," he agreed quietly. "I guess sometimes it is necessary, even if it's not exactly right."

* * *

Al peered into Harry's room, looking a little dazed. "Jamie… when did you get an elf?"

Harry looked up and burst into snickers. Al's hair had been combed, his shirt was wrinkle free and his shoelaces were tied. "We've had an elf for a while. Ever since the guest house was finished. You just haven't been around when she dropped in."

"But…"

"Oh please." Harry set the Game Boy down and gave Al a look. "As if you're going to clean up after yourself. So we have an elf from the Elf Agency come in twice a week, pick up things, dust, vacuum, dishes, special laundry, that sort of thing."

"Special laundry?"

"Sure. Anything stained, potion soaked, magic saturated, you know." Harry looked Al up and down again. "Just what happened? You talk back to her or something? She's a bit feisty."

"Hah!" Al looked down at himself. "I was just sitting on the couch in the PD house and she bustled in and waved a hand at me and tutted about looking respectable…"

"You were probably slouched on the couch," Harry guessed with a knowing look. "Shirt wrinkled, likely a food stain on it somewhere, shoes on, feet on the coffee table, shoelaces untied…"

Al made a face.

"Yeah, thought so." Harry picked up his Game Boy again. "You lose."

"You suck."

"You can go now," Harry told him. "I'm playing _Jeopardy!_ and kicking butt."

"Glad to see you like the birthday present," Al said dryly.

"It's fabtastic. Now shoo."

Al snorted and left, running his hands through his hair to mess it up.

* * *

"Kip!"

"Bran!" Harry shot to his feet to throw his arms around Bran in a hug, laughing as Bran lifted him off the floor and nuzzled his face in greeting.

"Surprised?"

"Completely!" Harry grinned around Bran at Suntree. Suntree gave him a little nod.

"Why don't you show Bran around?" Tony suggested. "We'll finish setting up here for your party this afternoon."

"Yeah? Yeah!" Harry wriggled out of Bran's hug and grabbed his hand to drag him from the room. "We'll go look at my room first! And then I'll show you my pitch! And then we can go flying! Al will go with us."

"I will?"

"You will!"

"Guess I will," Al said, looking after Harry with amusement. As Bran and Harry passed by Tony, Tony and Bran exchanged almost wary looks.

"What just happened?" Laney asked once Bran and Harry had thundered up the stairs.

"What, Bran showing up?" Al asked. "You knew about that."

"No, that look."

"Werewolf," Tony said shortly.

Laney continued to give him a puzzled look. "And?"

"Just, werewolf."

"And?"

"Complicated." Tony settled on the couch.

Laney poked his side with her foot and then did it again for good measure. She rested her foot on his knee. "And? I learned this from Jamie, I can do it all day."

Tony snorted and poked at her foot. "I'm an accidental Animagus. I wasn't studying to be an Animagus when my first transformation happened; I had no idea what an Animagus was even."

She gave his knee a nudge. "How? Hm? Explain. You're getting as bad as Suntree with this dramatic pausing crap." She nudged him again. "Go on."

Tony snorted again and grabbed her foot as she went to nudge him again. "It can happen, becoming an accidental Animagus, when you identify so strongly with an animal personality and you haven't had any formalized learning, but you still instinctively use magic. But when you change like that, without any training or meditation and all, it leaves a mark on you in a way that the usual Animagus won't really have. In my case, I'm a wolf, and werewolves and wolves can sense that in me, that my change was less formalized and more primal, raw magic."

Laney sighed and shook her head. "You always have to be complicated, Tony."

"Yeah, seriously, stop being complicated," Suntree remarked, dropping a battered backpack by the stairs.

"So Bran's allowed to stay over?" Laney asked, peering over the back of the couch at the backpack.

"Two days. He has to be back for a hunt."

Harry appeared at the top of the stairs with a grin, making a tugging motion that sent the backpack flying up the stairs into his arms. "We'll be down in a bit, Al!"

"Take your time. I'll just eat some pie or something."

"Do that!"

Laney raised a brow at Al. "Some pie or something?"

"You make the best pie and, uh, the best somethings…" He gave her a charming smile. "Gorgeous."

"Whatever." She poked Tony with her other foot. "You going to hold my foot all night?"

"Are you going to keep poking me with it?"

"Maybe."

"Then maybe I am."

* * *

"What… are you doing?"

"Shh!" Harry gave Green a scolding look. "I'm having enough trouble evading Bran without you making noise."

Green raised his brows and leaned further over the porch railing to see where Harry was crouched behind a pile of firewood. "You're not very well hidden."

"Shh!"

Green shrugged and straightened some to simply lean on the railing, looking out at the softly rustling trees to the side of the house. It wasn't long until a movement to his left caught his attention and he glanced over to see Bran creeping awkwardly along the ground on all fours, a stick tucked under an arm. He debated alerting Harry, then decided against it in the name of fairness and amusement.

"Green," Harry hissed from below, "go away. You're going to give my position away."

"You're being tracked by a werewolf, Jamie. You're already screwed. I'm not helping it along."

Harry fixed him with a stern, displeased glare at the same time Bran made his move, springing to two feet with a shout.

"On guard!"

Harry shot to his feet, bringing up a stick of his own to fend off Bran's attack. Harry fell back against the log pile, rolled out of the way, jabbed, swung, swung, parried, jabbed, then turned and ran full speed for the open backyard. Bran followed quickly on his heels.

"What's going on out there?" Tony asked curiously as Green made his way back to the main porch area behind the house. "I leave the house to pick up pizza and they're…"

"Sword fighting. Or perhaps I should say fencing, to be more precise. Jamie made Bran watch the Princess Bride. And here we are."

"I see."

"What I see is that Jamie has watched it so many times he's actually picked up the moves," Green observed with amusement. "And Bran's a damn quick learner; he's doing it, too."

Tony watched for a couple dozen seconds. "That's an interesting move."

"It's the 'tackle Jamie to the ground and nuzzle him into submission' move. Highly effective."

Tony snorted. "Call them in." He slapped Green on the back as he headed back inside.

* * *

"It's a good thing Sunny's taking me back in a car," Bran said with a laugh as Harry dropped a couple of more interesting toys in the shopping cart.

"I like buying presents." Harry grinned at him. "Just consider it an extended birthday present to me. Happy birthday to me!"

"You're the one buying me things."

"Yep! Humor me. I'll never ever again turn eleven in my life."

"Technically you turned eleven yesterday," Bran pointed out.

"But it's buying presents!"

"That's my little shopaholic." Laney ruffled Harry's hair. "Come on, let's get going. We'll grab lunch, visit a couple more stores and then we'll go see a movie."

Bran gave a little wriggle of excitement, reminding them very much of an excited puppy. "I've only seen a movie three times ever!"

"Then this should be a lot of fun." Laney took control of the cart, looking amused as Harry grabbed Bran's hand and dragged him ahead towards the registers.

"Think you got enough stuff there, kid?" Cam asked as they stepped out of the store, purchases in hand.

Bran gave a start at her sudden appearance, almost dropping the bags he was carrying. "Where did you come from?!"

"Oh, she's been meandering around us all this time," Harry remarked absently, digging into one of the bags to find the bubble gum and secreting it away in a pocket. "So has Sunny, though he hasn't been trying to hide in the background. And Al's around, too, somewhere over there." Harry waved vaguely off to the right. "Come on!" Harry took off-

"No running!" Laney called out.

-at a quick walk down the hallway, Bran following along with a bemused grin.

"So."

Laney gave a start and then aimed a glare at Suntree.

Suntree gave her a mild look in return. "So. That was interesting."

"What was?"

"Jamie."

"Sunny, don't make me have to drag this out of you a handful of words at a time. The Spoon will not be pleased."

Cam sniggered. "Yeah, Sunny, The Spoon will not be pleased. You heard the woman."

"Oh noes, not The Spoon. There will be doom. The world will be full o' gloom. And then there-"

"I swear," Laney muttered, interrupting Suntree. "Sometimes it's like having a bunch of kids around."

"As I was saying, however, this is quite an interesting twist." Suntree took several shopping bags from Laney. "I knew Jamie was able to sense us on occasion, usually when there weren't too many people around and he wasn't distracted by a lot of other things going on, but this new twist is interesting."

"Sunny," Laney said warningly after a brief silence.

"What? Oh, yes. He was able to pick up where we were, even in this busy area. And looking back at his behavior recently, this isn't a new ability."

Laney let out a heavy breath that wasn't quite a sigh. "Is this yet another new ability?"

"For once, no," Suntree told her cheerfully. "This is an extension of an old ability. We already knew he was able to sense magic. It's just gotten stronger and more refined, it seems. Now he's able to sense individual magical signatures. Only way I can think to explain his keeping track of us, at least."

"This'll certainly be a useful little trick with the bodyguarding stuff we do." Cam took possession of all the shopping bags, concentrating on putting lightweight charms on them as she did so. The other two were quiet. "I'll go put this stuff in the van. Still eating at that place at the other end of the mall?"

Laney nodded.

"I'll catch up, then."

"All right. Sunny?"

"Hm?"

"Go fetch the kids. Make yourself useful."

Suntree gave her a mild look. "Glorious day, I'm being useful."

Laney rolled her eyes. "So pleased to hear it makes you happy."

* * *

"It's a fairly well accepted fact that the world is full of magic, as you know. There's a little bit of magic in everything living, even things that most people don't think of as magical, such as NMPs – non-magical-"

"I know," Suntree interrupted the rapid-fire speech, watching Harry sway on his feet as if buffeted by a breeze. "Non-magical person or people."

Healer Zohler chuckled a little and made another note in his notepad before continuing, glancing between Suntree and Harry. "Just bear with me. I know you likely know most of what I'm going to say, but it's easier to retell it than to try and fill in gaps."

Suntree nodded.

"So! Most people are aware of this, that the world has an undercurrent of magic everywhere, just as surely as air is ever-present in our lives. And just like air, this magic usually just exists around us, though there're areas where it's stronger, more apparent, and there're times when a disturbance in the magic can send stronger ripples of it far from the origin. But magic also exists all around us in layers we can't see or sense in the way that some people believe a spiritual world exists all around us, sometimes overlapping our own. And that's quite curious in itself, seeing as how the ghosts we see in the magical world are thought to exist on a higher layer-"

"Zohl, you're going off on a tangent," Suntree interrupted, looking over for a moment.

"Quite! Sorry. But, yes, it exists in layers all around us. Well-trained professionals in various fields learn trances that allow them to extend their magic into the outermost layer that surrounds us, and the best in the field learn how to project their magic into the higher layers- it's a blossoming area of study right now, you know. A lot of interesting ideas are-"

"Tangent." Suntree looked back over to him. "Did you take your potions this morning?"

"I knew I forgot something," Zohler muttered.

"Do continue."

"Yes! Where was I? Oh, yes, projecting. With time, people can learn to project into that outermost layer, but on a regular basis people in general can become attuned with that outer layer. You see this a lot with Aurors, curse breakers, other similar positions, where it's important and advantageous to be able to sense disturbances in the magic around you to be forewarned of spells coming your way or powering up to activate or things of a similar nature and-"

"Breathe. I can see why you and Jamie get along so well," Suntree remarked with amusement.

"So! The point I'm making here is that the world is full of magic, everywhere, in everything, all around, all the time. What's he's doing right now-" Zohler pointed toward Harry. Harry was still swaying gently and moving around the room in small, hesitant steps, eyes mostly closed. "He has a unique relationship with magic that allows him to sense the currents of it and interact with it on a basic level without needing a special trance." Zohler took off his glasses and set them aside on a table that was several inches to the right of where he dropped them. Zohler's assistant caught them with a levitation charm and a sigh.

"We have noticed that he's exceptionally aware of spells coming towards him if he's not completely distracted, and he's lately started to just know where people are around him when he can't see them or they're in another room."

"Yes! Every person has a unique magical signature that's a story of their strength, skills, experiences with magic and even the emotional ups and downs that have affected their magic over the years. Most people, most healers, can't read this tapestry of being, as I call it, but they can pick up on clues that give them an idea of how much stress the magic has been under and what kinds of stress. It's very useful. But that's what makes up this magical signature that everyone has. Very unreliable, of course, for anything in the field of law enforcement or detection, if the magical signature you're trying to match it with is more than several weeks old as there's-"

"Tangent."

"But! What he's doing on instinct is reading the flows and currents of magic and picking up the little differences, the little flavors, that give away information about what's going on with the source of the disturbance in the current." He gave Suntree an expectant look.

"Meaning?" Suntree prompted.

"Yes! In other words, if you're highly agitated about something and not showing it, your magic is, your magic is giving off that feel, it's pushing against the natural flow of magic, adding extra movement to it, the movement would come to his attention as being unusual if he were in a state of being aware of the world around him, he'd be able to feel where it's coming from-"

"Breathe."

"And! He'd probably be able to connect it back to you since he knows your magic so well, and he'd know you're agitated even though you're not showing it. Or even if you are! Most young people are notoriously bad at picking up visual clues. This will go a long way to making him seem more perceptive than he actually is and-"

"So what is he doing exactly?" Suntree interrupted, nodding towards Harry.

"Yes! I'm glad you asked. We're teaching him to tap into this soup of an outer layer and try and learn how to understand what he's feeling and seeing. The better he understands it in this far away state he's in right now, the better his feel of it when he's paying attention to the world everyone else perceives. We're also going to be teaching him to filter out the information he's getting, so he doesn't notice it, since he'll become more sensitive to the feel of magic with these lessons, and what he'll be able to pick up could border on intrusive at times. He needs to learn how to separate himself from the information, keep himself aware of currents coming towards him, but not dip into currents just flowing around him. Put up a shield that allows certain impressions to get his attention but blocks everything else out."

Suntree nodded. "How rare is this natural ability of his?"

"No! It's surprisingly not as rare as some people think, not that that's saying that it isn't rare, because it is, but it's not as rare in the rare circles as people like to think."

Suntree repeated the words silently to himself. "So it's pretty darn rare, but in terms of things that are rare, it's not as rare as most people believe it to be?"

"Yes! We're just now beginning to recognize that this is something a lot of Magurists can do, and it's something that has always been an undercurrent to major tribal magic. People have dismissed it as flight of imagination and romantic fancy for years, but new studies are showing that this is a more valid field of magical ability than people have ever believed. It's so fascinating, really, the new tests and research being put into this, and there's even a-"

"Tangent."

"Quite! So it's not the rarest thing around, and given his background with Magurist magic, it's not entirely unexpected. Granted, he does have an extremely strong ability, and it's only going to get stronger with practice, use and growth of his magic and maturity, but at the same time, I've met people with stronger abilities, and even some close to his age, though granted, a few years older, which I must say is-"

"Breathe."

"So! Shall we go take a closer look at what he's doing?"

Suntree gave a nod. "That would be most excellent."

"Now! I shall just put on my glasses, and they're not, oh, yes, thank you, Shelly, and-"

"Elizabeth," his assistant cut in.

"Yes! Shelly Elizabeth will just-"

"Just Elizabeth."

Zohler put on his glasses and peered at the young woman at his side. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well! I suppose you'd know. Quite sure?"

She nodded. "Quite."

"So! Very well then. I shall make note of that." He wrote in his notepad for a moment, then turned and headed over to Harry.

"We call him Mad Doctor Z," Elizabeth told Suntree with an exasperated but fond smile.

"We called him Mad Scientist in school," Suntree answered.

"So! Are you two coming? There are exciting things happening over here!"

* * *

Laney stopped short in the kitchen entrance. "This doesn't bode well."

Harry looked up with a grin. "What?"

"You're dressed for paintball, but you're carrying water balloons." Laney put her hands on her hips. "Those water balloons had better not be full of paint, young man."

"Just water, Mom. Seriously. The Super Soaker, on the other hand…" Harry put up a forestalling hand at Laney's glare. "Kidding, Mom, kidding. Just kidding. It's just water."

"Paintball clothes?"

Harry grinned. "Green and I are going to play paintball, and then we're going to water war to clean up."

Laney shook her head. "Don't you even think about trekking paint, water or mud into this house."

Harry gave her a mock salute. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Get out of my kitchen."

"Hugs and kisses, love you!" Harry dashed out, the back door slamming behind him.

* * *

Grinning in excitement, Harry raced into the kitchen only to draw up short at seeing Laney standing at the kitchen counter with a faint frown, a steaming mug in hands despite it being mid-August. She was staring at something in front of her.

"Mom?"

She looked up at him, expression pensive. "Harry."

He gave a slight start. He couldn't remember the last time she'd called him that. "Is something wrong, Mom? Did something happen?"

Laney sighed and nodded to the counter. He came to stand beside her.

It was an envelope, a strange heavy envelope of the kind he only ever saw wizards sending. Old tradition wizards, at that, or for official, government type things. That alone gave him a fairly good idea of what he was looking at. The wax seal on the back, an H surrounded by four very distinct animals, only confirmed that.

He reached for it and stopped, pulling his hand away sharply. "Has one of the-"

"Of course," Laney interrupted quietly, smiling a little. "It's been checked, baby. In fact, the USAS has been intercepting anything from Europe. They're still keeping our location secret." She rolled her eyes. "But you even have to ask? As if Sunny or Tony or any of them would let anything near you they hadn't checked over a half a dozen times."

He nodded but still didn't reach out for it. "Is there- was there anything on it?"

She took a sip of her drink before answering. "Some sort of tracking charm. Just to pinpoint your location, to know where the letter went. No Portkeys or anything like that."

"Fu-dge."

"Nice save," Laney said dryly.

"Yeah, well."

"They took it off, of course. And there's nothing else on it."

"Nothing else at all, right?"

"No, nothing. They double checked and everything." Laney ruffled his hair. "You're so adorable when you're worried and paranoid."

"I wasn't worried," he muttered.

"Of course you weren't, baby."

"I'm eleven, Mom. The baby thing is really embarrassing."

"But you're still my baby. I'll call you baby when you're fifty."

He groaned. "Don't say that."

"Baby, baby, baby."

"Trying to scar me for life," he muttered.

"Shall I just toss the letter? Preferably into the fireplace."

Harry frowned, studying it thoughtfully. "No, I should look at it." He reached for it cautiously. "Just to say I did," he said quickly, almost defensively.

"Of course," Laney murmured, giving him an odd look from the corner of her eye.

"Mom, you can't seriously think I'd ever consider going."

"Of course not."

"Then stop with the look, okay? Everything's awesome."

"You're eleven. Everything's always awesome to an eleven-year-old."

"That's the spirit." He broke open the wax seal, rolling his eyes at it as he did. "Wax is so yesterday," he muttered as he pulled the letter out. "Blah, blah, blah… man, like I care how many titles this Dumble guy has after his name. And what the hell-"

"Language."

"-Is a mugwump? Seriously."

"I know that's not the first time you've seen that word."

"And it's still completely weird. Seriously. Weirdoes."

"Like you're one to talk, Jamie."

"Like you're one to talk, _Mom_." Harry gave her a pointed look. "It's what, like, a thousand degrees outside? And you're in here drinking hot chocolate? Who's the weird one?"

"Brat."

"But you love me."

She made a thoughtful noise, mouth twitching with amusement.

Harry ignored it, eyes flicking over the last of the letter. He gave a heavy sigh. "Oz… this is hilarious. And pathetically transparent."

"I need some levity in my life. Let's hear it."

"Right, well, there's all the official babble stuff, because whoopee, I've been accepted to Hogwarts, everyone sing and dance-"

"Pity Sunny's not here. He likely would."

"Lucky us," Harry muttered. "Have you seen him try to dance?"

"Yes, yes I have," Laney said with nod. "I have. It's a good thing Green can dance."

"Why is that a good thing?" Harry asked, lowering the letter a little in puzzlement.

"Because that means that you have someone teaching you who actually can dance," Laney told him dryly. "And you won't embarrass me by trying to dance one day."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You're the one that calls me baby in public."

Laney smiled against her cup.

"And he's teaching me to cook, too! He can seriously cook. That is so weird. I thought he was the ultimate bachelor."

"I'd think that'd be Terry," Laney remarked.

"Nah, probably Tony."

"Tony can no longer qualify for the ultimate bachelor," Laney said dryly. "The only reason I can't say he's completely moved into the guest house is because he still has his apartment, even if he never seems to spend time there."

Harry gave Laney a considering look, fingering the wax on the outside of the envelope. "Do you mind him being around all the time? Sometimes you give him kind of odd looks."

"Oh." Laney's brow furrowed a little. "No. No, I don't mind. Just don't always expect to find him around, I guess. So, what's the letter say?"

"Oh, yeah." He rolled his eyes. "There's this note afterwards. It's talking all about how I'm sure to be a great wizard and whatever, blah, blah, blah, Hogwarts great school, blah, blah, blah, and ooh, lucky me, I'd be able to start training my magic a whole year earlier." Harry rolled his eyes again, looking up. "Do they just completely ignore the rest of the world over there or something?"

Laney smiled slightly. "Sometimes I wonder."

"Think they're figuring that you'd never let me do any early magic classes, considering how 'rar, magic, rar' you were before you left?"

"Maybe."

"Hm." He looked back to the letter and then snorted, sighing a little. "This is just… It says, 'And you are aware, I should hope, that your mother and father both attended Hogwarts and were excellent students. Should you attend, it would be a proud tradition that you follow.' And then blah, blah, blah, your mother liked this subject and your father played Quidditch, blah, blah, blah… Please, do they think I'm two? Seriously." Harry made a face. "Okay, so it might be a Potter tradition, but mom Lily was the first in her family. Non-magical background and all. So that's almost on the verge of lying to me. Not a good way to start a relationship, you know, verging on lying to me. Traditions are long-established things. Correct me if I'm wrong, not that I am." He shook his head. "So totally not cool, verge lying."

Laney snorted. "Never change, kiddo."

"Certainly hadn't planned on it. What a fu-nky letter." He coughed. "Yeah, funky letter."

"Hm." Laney eyed him. "Your eloquence never ceases to amaze me."

"Glad you think I'm amazing."

"And your selective hearing is just as astounding."

"Isn't it great?"

She ruffled his hair. Harry ducked away, grumbling under his breath. "Don't mess with the style, Mom."

"Sorry, I couldn't tell, seeing as how it looks the same as it does when you get out of the shower, when you roll out of bed, when you come in from flying, when-"

"I get the point."

"So, shall I just dispose of the letter now?"

Harry hesitated a moment. "Nah." He tucked it into the envelope again. "I'll get rid of it."

"And just what do you plan to do with it?"

"I was thinking… I'd give it to Kady, at HQ. She can use it for her parrot cage. I think it'd make a great lining for a poop tray."

Laney snorted. "You would."

"Absolutely. Pity I can't send it back after-"

"Enough of that thought." She eyed him closely. "Why'd you practically bounce through the door?"

"Oh! Look at this!" He pulled up his pant leg to show her a bloody graze down his leg.

"Lovely. Mippy's going to throw a fit when she sees your bloody pants. Why didn't you get it healed?"

"Mippy loves me. All elves love me."

"She'll still have a fit. And why didn't you get it healed?"

"Get it healed? Mom, are you crazy? That'll leave an awesome scar and I'll totally be able to tell everyone the awesome story that goes with it!"

Laney narrowed her eyes. "My mom senses are tingling. Just what is this awesome story?"

He shifted a little, dropping the pant leg. "Oh, nothing really," Harry told her. "Just, you know, general boy-ness."

"Uh huh. Yeah. Let's hear it. If you don't tell me, I'll just ask Terry."

Harry made a face.

"Sucks, doesn't it, being accompanied by a more or less responsible adult? Story."

Harry sighed. "Fine. It happened when I was just, you know, flying around and stuff."

"Mmhm. There's more to this story."

"I should go clean this up and all that."

"Story."

He mumbled something.

"Funny how my hearing seems to be failing me. I would almost swear I just heard you say you attempted a _Wronski__ Feint_ on a _windboard_, and I know there's no way my son would ever do something that insane."

He mumbled something else.

"I see. You did."

"But it was so awesome! I mean, I was totally great! And there was just that one little wobble- but I totally had control the rest of the time!"

"I see."

"And, hey, Terry practically screamed at me for it. Lots of swearing and narrow eyed looks of doom and stuff, so you totally don't need to yell at me…"

"We shall see."

"I'll just go upstairs now and, you know, get cleaned up and stuff."

"You do that."

Harry gave a quick nod.

"And tomorrow, young man, you will have that leg healed up."

"But the scar would be so awesome!" he protested.

"I will not allow you to have battle scars of stupidity."

"Mooom."

Laney crossed her arms. "No."

"Fine." He pouted a little and slunk away. In the doorway he stopped, turning back to her. "Still love me, right?"

"Forever and with all my heart. But don't think you're getting out of trouble."

"Nah. It _was_ kind of stupid."

"Good. Remember that."

Harry continued out of the room and thudded up the stairs. About halfway up he called back, "But it was still totally awesome!" and then broke into a run for his room.

"It was kind of awesome," Terry remarked from the laundry room doorway. "In a completely stupid, I will curse him into oblivion if he ever dares do it again sort of way."

Laney gave him a look. "Good."


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: Happy joy happy.

Betas: Megan, Jynx67 and Madam Whitbrook. If I'm forgetting someone, so sorry. Thanks!

AN: Review responses link found in profile shortly, once I check to see if there's anything that needs answered. Sorry about the delay on this chapter. My life has been… unexpected.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 30

* * *

"Green?"

"Hey, kid. What's up?"

Harry hovered in the doorway, watching Green make ward notes on a layout of the guest house. "Um…"

Green looked up, frowning a little as he put the highlighter down. "What's wrong?"

"Can I talk to you about something? Private?"

"Sure. Come on in."

"Can we… go somewhere more private?"

Green's brows lifted a little, but he stood up. "How 'bout we go to my place?"

"Yeah… That sounds good."

"I'll go tell your Mom we'll be in Georgia," Green told him with a touch of amusement. "And make sure she has my phone number. Go get some shoes on. We'll meet out back."

Harry nodded and went to do so. A few minutes later, he joined Green out by the playground area, zipping up his jacket against the cool air. Green was staring past the enclosed pool to the guest house. It stood completed, but there was something about it that just didn't seem quite right with the wards not quite done.

"Hey, kid."

"Green."

"How are you with Side-Alonging?"

Harry shrugged. "Makes me feel weird, but most magical travel makes people feel weird."

"That it does." Green put an arm around Harry and Harry turned in to him, face pressed against Green's chest. "Ready?" The head nodded.

Green took a little step forward, both arms settling around Harry as he focused on his destination and pushed them to it. Harry clutched him at the squeezing sensation of Apparition, and then they were standing in the shadows of some tall trees, sunlight dappling the ground around them.

"Interesting," Green murmured, slowly dropping his arms.

Harry pulled away to look around at the forest around them with interest. It was like any other forest, leaves just beginning their fall change. "Hm?"

"Apparating with you is interesting," Green told him, gesturing for Harry to follow him up the dirt road that threatened to be swallowed by the trees and bushes to either side, towards a rusted gate. "Side-Along is generally a little more uncomfortable. You have to work harder to pull another person with you and its much easier to splinch yourself or the other person. That comes from having to move two different bodies and their unique magic along one narrow path of travel."

"Hm."

"But with you, it was like Apparating with something magical, not someone magical. There's still something else magical to take into account, but there's not nearly as much effort required. Your magic was in tune with mine, not trying to maintain independence."

"Mm."

Green considered Harry closely. "You must have something serious on your mind. Normally, you'd be ready to dive into a discussion on the theories of Apparition."

Harry gave him a faint smile and stopped at the rusted gate, leaning against it comfortably.

Green smiled a little. "Most people don't realize that's an illusion."

"Most people can't feel that it's highly magical." Harry looked around. "This is a really nice area. It feels comfortable. Heavily magical. There are several ley lines that run right through here."

"Mmhm. So I've been told." Green nudged Harry out of the way to unlock the gate with a touch of magic, and then he took Harry's hand to lead him through the magical barrier. From the other side, the gate was new, strong and sturdy. "Come on. I'll key you into the wards as we go."

Harry continued to look around with interest, Green leading him along by the hand and pausing every so often to adjust the wards. Harry could feel the wards expand and then settle around him after each adjustment. The air was so magic heavy around him, though, that he couldn't be sure if the ramshackle cabin in the distance was just now visible because he was being introduced to the wards or if it was simply a matter of being near enough.

"Interesting look," Harry remarked as the rambling, wood warped, paint peeling, vaguely lopsided cabin completely resolved itself. But while the structure looked rather beaten, it didn't look like it was abandoned.

"It tends to keep away the odd, rare person that manages to get past the wards."

"Very magic heavy area, here."

"I'm right on the edge of the North Georgia Magi-National Forest. Try saying that five times fast. Except, not really," Green added quickly when Harry seemed about to do that. "It's a very comfortable place, very well protected. There's a beautiful view from the back porch and some springs and a stream with some odd magical warping. The spring runs over a ley line and the magic tends to seep and cause some interesting effects. Great tasting water, too. Light, bubbly, cool, refreshing…"

"Mm."

"Yeah, you've definitely got something on your mind. Step up here."

Though the ground looked flat, Harry stepped up and found his foot resting on air for a moment before the illusion slid away, revealing a sudden swelling of the ground large enough to almost be a step. Beyond the swell, the cabin was revealed for what it really was – a structure that was somewhere between the stereotypical idea of a log cabin and a nice sized house, part wood and part stone.

When they got to the door, Green pressed Harry's hand against the smooth surface. There was a general shifting of magic and Harry felt a tingle go from head to toe and linger at his fingertips.

"Feel something?"

Harry looked at Green with amusement. "Of course."

"Of course." Green snorted and unlocked the door with a touch of magic.

"Shouldn't you use a key, too?" Harry asked.

"Probably should get around to adding a real lock to the place…" Green shrugged.

Harry looked around the main room. It was magically enlarged, but not only did it feel sloppily done, it looked sloppily done. It was enlarged just enough for half of the room to hold a cushy couch and a big screen television and the other half of the room to hold a leather couch in front of a big stone fireplace without it looking completely cramped. "Well. This is nice. A bit crowded."

"I'm not that good at space layering." Green grinned a little when Harry glanced back with eye-rolling amusement. "I'd put a wall in here to separate the two areas, but I didn't get enough space, and I don't really feel like having a stranger come out. The way my wards are set up right now means I'd have to key the person into them, and then completely redo the wards to exclude them. I'd get a new warding team out here to redo my wards, but I like how much security these afford, and beyond that, these wards have long gotten used to me and me to them."

Harry shook his head. "Always have to be complicated."

Green ruffled Harry's hair. "Hey, learn some space layering and ward building and come redo them for me." He nudged Harry towards the leather couch.

"Maybe I will."

"Feel free. You're bound to be great at it once you learn it. Sit. Tell me what's on your mind."

"How'd Mom react when you said we were going to Georgia?"

"Hm." Green settled at one end of the couch and waited for Harry to sit; Harry chose to sit at the other end. "She rolled her eyes and told me to behave."

"Sounds like Mom."

"She said I was responsible for feeding you, too. We could go out for burgers," Green suggested.

"Maybe."

Green studied Harry. "What's on your mind, Jame?"

Harry shifted to stare at fireplace, wood laid out and waiting to be lit. "How did you…?"

"How did I?"

Harry stared a little longer at the wood before sliding off the couch to sit in front of the fireplace, reaching out a hand towards it. There was a quiet crackle and flames began to crawl over the wood slowly. "You said that… you like girls and guys?"

"Yes."

Harry turned his attention to unzipping his jacket. "How did you…?"

"Figure it out?"

"Yeah."

Green studied Harry as Harry slowly pulled off his jacket and began to smooth it out. "I actually figured out that I liked guys first," Green said casually. "I had the worst crush on a boy in one of my classes when I was twelve. Joey Andrews. The crush didn't last too long, though. He was a bit of a jerk. Cute, but a jerk. And then I had several more crushes, all on girls, and I finally had a couple of girlfriends. I didn't think of that first crush again until I was maybe fifteen or sixteen when a Quidditch player came to give a talk at my school and I found myself noticing him in a less than platonic way."

"And that was it? You just knew you liked guys, too, and that was it?"

"'It' meaning?"

Harry shrugged, playing with the zipper on the jacket. "Everyone was fine with it and you started having boyfriends and stuff?"

Green chuckled. "Hardly. It was a little while longer before a real boyfriend entered the picture. But I did start paying attention to guys after that, not just girls, and I realized I'd been noticing guys all along, I just hadn't really been paying attention to it. And I'll be entirely honest with you, it took me a while to work through it in my own head before I was able to accept it as something that wasn't just a passing curiosity or something."

"But once you did, once you figured it out and started to like guys and date guys and things like that, everyone was fine with it? Your family didn't mind? Your friends?"

"Hmm… My friends were pretty surprised when I got around to telling them. The girls were better with it at first, but eventually… The friends and people around me who really mattered, they accepted me. There were other people who didn't. But that's life. No point in pretending any differently. There'll always be people who won't understand, won't try to understand, won't even look at you twice after they learn it. But as far as my experience has been, in the somewhat more accepting magical culture, mind you, none of the friends that really mattered were the as- jerks who wouldn't accept me.

"Ass jerks," Harry said with a faint smile. "I'll have to remember that one."

"Just don't give me any credit for it," Green muttered.

"So…" Harry fidgeted with his jacket. "Your family, too? Accepted you just like that?"

Green smiled wanly at Harry's back before shaking off the expression. "Jame, do you think you like girls and guys?"

Harry hesitated a moment as he tugged on the strings attached to the hood of his jacket. "No."

"Just guys?"

"…Yes?"

"You know, you're only eleven-"

"Don't!" Harry twisted around with a scowl. "I don't care how old I am! I didn't just wake up yesterday or last week and decide 'oh, I think I'm going to like guys this month!' or some other ridiculous crap, okay? I've been thinking about this. I've been thinking about it for a good while. I might only be eleven, but I damn well figured out that it's always guys. Always guys! Never any girls; it's always guys. And on top of that, I don't care about any of that dumb shit like cooties or think girls are gross or anything. In fact, boys are pretty gross, when you think about it. And I like them anyway. So there."

Green's mouth twitched.

"Don't laugh at me," Harry muttered.

"I'm not, Jame. You're right, I'm sorry. Being eleven doesn't mean you don't understand how you feel. You probably understand how you feel better than a good number of adults."

"Damn straight."

Green's mouth twitched again. "So you like guys? Are you worried how your family will react?"

"You're family, too, you know," Harry mumbled.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I know they'll eventually at least deal with it, even if they don't like it. I think they will, at least. I mean-"

"Jame, I don't think anyone in the family is going to care. In fact, I don't think anyone in the family is going to be too surprised."

Harry gave him an odd look. "What makes you say that?"

Green looked amused. "Your favorite shirt is pink-"

"Its neon pink," Harry interrupted. "And it's a sort of pink and purple. And it's neon. It's not a girly pink. Anything that obnoxious can't be considered a girly pink. And besides, it's _comfortable_."

Green snorted. "You like manicures-"

"That is entirely Cam's fault! And they feel nice. They massage your hands and stuff. It's not all about painting fingernails and all that crap. I bet a heck of a lot more guys would do it if they knew it was hand massages and lotion, and you know what? It's also good to keep your hands soft for wandless magic, so I win."

"Yeah, but you can name just about any nail color you see."

"Hey, you should be damned proud of that!"

Green raised his brows with a faint grin. "Oh? I should be proud that you can tell the difference between bedroom burgundy and raw carnal carmine?"

Harry stared at him. "How do _you_ know those…?"

"I'm a guy. I pay attention when I hear those words. I think the better question is: where the hell is Cam taking you for these manicures?"

"Oh, please, they're just polish names. It's a perfectly respectable nail parlor."

"And why should I be proud that you can tell the difference?"

"Because it means I'm observant! I'm paying attention to my surroundings! I'm not letting any details go to waste! And stuff."

Green gave him a look of polite disbelief. "And nail polish names are helpful here, how?"

"Right, fine." Harry pushed up his sleeves. "Creative scenario creation time. Let's say I'm in the middle of a non-magical, very busy shopping mall and I keep seeing a woman. She's around a lot for an extended period of time, enough so that I notice her, but not enough that she's immediately suspicious. Now, run through the usual response, do the discrete magical scan, come up with nothing magical about her. So here I am in a busy, non-magical shopping mall, there's no magic around her, just the same woman around enough that I noticed it. Should I be on alert? No, not really. Would you be on alert?"

Green rolled his eyes. "Probably not."

"Exactly! A normal person wouldn't be. But wait! I catch sight of her hands. And what's this? Her nail polish! It's Luscious Caramel-Coated Candy Apple Green!-"

"It's _what_?" Green asked, brows going up.

Harry made a shushing gesture. "Don't break the story flow. You're ruining my drama. So, it's Luscious Caramel-Coated Candy Apple Green! And now a possible would-be assassin or general malcontent has been put on the grid of my situational awareness and I am prepared should the situation take a turn for the worse. True, yes, it just might be another magical person out and about, doing shopping, the same as me. But you never know."

"So the nail polish alerts you because…?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Because I know that you can only get Luscious at two nail parlors anywhere, and they're both magical! And suddenly, all of a sudden, very sudden like, mind you-"

"Was it sudden?" Green interrupted dryly.

"Yes. Shush. So, all of a sudden in a sudden like way, I know that those pretty, frosted, reddish-green nails belong to a witch! And now the woman who's around just enough to make me pay attention isn't just some woman, she's a witch. A witch that may, in fact, be plotting my ultimate doom!"

"I see…"

"But now I'm forewarned," Harry told him a bit smugly, making a show of buffing his fingernails on his shirt. "My very life may be saved. So there."

Green stared at him. "I'm- impressed. And a little boggled. Did that just fall out of your brain, or have you actually put enough thought into that scenario that it was fully formed before today?"

"Little from A, little from B. Suntree says attention to details, a little dose of common sense and a healthy dose of paranoia make up the building blocks of existence."

"Yeah… Kid, Suntree's a bit of a fruitcake."

Harry snickered.

"Speaking of-"

"Oi!" Harry wagged a finger at him.

"Exactly." Green gave him a rather amused look. "You can be a little dramatic about things on occasion, and some of your gestures…"

"I'm full of verve! I'm dynamic! I'm, like, all sorts of awesome!"

"Yes. That you are."

Harry gave him a smug look. "Exactly."

"You're constantly bitching about Al's mismatched clothes. And Terry's apartment sends you into rants. And you like chick flicks."

"Hey, you don't have to be gay to want to match, okay? Looking good is not gay. Looking good is awesome. Being a slob is just gross. I mean, seriously. And we can blame Mom for that one, thank you, being all 'go find something that matches, don't run around with stains down your shirt, fold your socks'-"

"Got the picture," Green cut in with an eye roll.

"So there you go. And chick flicks are nice. Don't start. And I like shooting, explosions, kicking massive amounts of ass movies, too!"

Green grinned a little. "And you and Cam have bitchfests about the newest fashions in her magazines."

"We have bitchfests about how ridiculous the newest fashions are." Harry gave him a narrow eyed look. "I'll give you half a point for that one. We do it, yes. But it's more me insulting the insanity of the fashion, mind you, and don't you forget it."

Green snorted. "Listen, I'm not saying that you prance about and everyone instantly knows, without a doubt, within seconds of meeting you, that you like guys. Even though they're gross."

"Come on, Green. Boys are gross."

"As are too many men," Green said with a bit of a sigh. "I can't argue with you there."

"Yes, thank you."

"But the point is… it's not screamingly obvious that you're gay. Usually. Sometimes you can be a little dramatic in just the right way. For the people who spend the most time around you, it's enough of a warning. The only person who might be surprised by it would be Al and Al…"

"Is kind of retarded sometimes?" Harry rolled his eyes.

"I was trying to think of something nice to say, but yes."

"I mean, he's great, and he's not stupid, but…"

Green nodded. "He can be amazingly…"

"Retarded at times," Harry finished.

"Yes." Green chuckled. "But other than that, I really can't imagine anyone being surprised or bothered. Your mom won't care. Don't tell her I told you this, but she asked my opinion not too long ago, and I told her that it was quite possible. She didn't mind at all."

"At all?"

"Not at all. And Suntree will probably say something very Suntree. Aki will probably end up liking you more-"

"She would," Harry interrupted dryly.

"Yes, she would. Cam will probably think its cool-"

"She would."

"Terry will quite likely act offended that you so greatly doubt his powers of observation. John will be John. Tony will take a nap. And-"

Harry snickered. "Okay, I get your point."

"And the most important thing is that things will remain the same. You'll continue being your awesome butt-kicking self and the rest of us will continue to be in awe of your awesome."

Harry laughed. "You're weird."

"Takes one to know one, kiddo."

"Maybe I'm rubbing off on everyone," Harry mused.

"Pretty soon we'll all be pottery."

Harry stared at him. "What?"

Green shrugged. "I fail at being funny. You know, Potter, pottery, potty…"

Harry shifted to give Green's hand a pat. "It'll be all right."

"That's enough out of you." Green slid off the couch to settle on the floor beside Harry. "Feeling better?"

Harry thought about that and then smiled a little. "Yeah… Yeah, I am."

"Sometimes we adults can be pretty smart, huh?"

"Oh, shut up," Harry grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah."

"And yet the shutting up, it continues not to happen."

* * *

Harry peered into the PD television room. "So, um, I'm kind of overly gay sometimes, aren't I? Since I'll be starting magic school soon, I should probably try not to act so… me…"

"Nothing wrong with the way you act, kiddo," Green told him, shifting over to make room for Harry on the couch and motioning him over. "We had this talk."

Tony cracked open an eye. "Is flamboyant," he managed around a yawn. "But magical world fits right in."

"You obviously aren't getting enough sleep." Harry plopped onto the couch between Tony and Green and nudged Tony. Tony dropped an arm heavily around his shoulders.

"But I'm doing just fine," John remarked brightly, giving his leg a tap. "Barely a twinge most days."

"No wonder the healers keep trying to drag Jamie in to look at people."

John gave Green an amused look. "Trying? They're quite succeeding, I daresay. He spends probably three or four hours a week at the hospital, learning stuff."

"I wish I was learning stuff." Suntree looked around the room as he slouched in the doorway. "I come looking for Tony and I find some sort of club house gathering going on. All you need is a sign on the door saying 'no girls allowed' or something. I bet you're in here learning stuff. Without me. I see how it is."

Green snorted. "Well, _I_ was breaking in the new television in our awesome PD house-"

"PD?"

"Potter Defenders," Harry told John brightly. "Because I'm special."

"And trying to sneak a Coke-"

"Do you know what that stuff will do to you?" Harry interrupted, poking Green's side. Green continued on, ignoring him.

"And then Tony came in and sat down beside me and fell asleep until Jame came in-"

"He's asleep again," Harry informed Green. "Or he'd damn well better be. He's snoring in my ear."

"I can't remember the last time I was lucky enough to have someone drooling in my ear. How I envy you."

"Suntree." Harry gave him a look. "Shut up."

"And then John meandered in," Green plowed on. "And we decided to watch some football-"

"I'm drinking water if it makes any difference to anyone." John held up the bottle. "Good stuff."

"And then Jamie here came in and said he's too gay to go to school-"

"I did not!" Harry scowled at Green.

"And then you came in and here we are. And the next person who interrupts me is going to get a silencing charm to the face," Green added amiably.

"To the face," Harry repeated. "Because there's nothing like getting hit upside the head with the spell equivalent of 'shut the fuck up'."

"Language." Suntree fixed Harry with a reproving look. "I know for a fact that you don't talk that way around your mother."

Harry gave Suntree an innocent look before nudging Green's side again. "And I did not say I was too gay for school."

"Amounts to that."

"No, it doesn't. I said that _sometimes_ I can act a little more noticeably gay and I asked if you thought I should act a little less that way when I start school. I know Jer-"

"Who?"

"My press agent person. Surely they told you this stuff at some point."

Green nodded. "Yes, quite, slipped my mind. Continue."

"Anyway. Jer said that he didn't see any reason why I should act like anything other than myself when out in public, but still, you know…"

"Nothing wrong with flamboyancy." Tony shifted away to slouch against the arm of the couch with a jaw cracking yawn. "Magical world deals with flamboyant quite a lot better."

"Tony, take a minute to wake up." Harry gave his knee a pat. "And, you know, since you seem to have missed the memo, it's okay to sleep every so often when you're working a long, hard assignment. You should try it sometime."

Tony gave another jaw cracking yawn. "Fucking Dahmer."

Harry gave a start. "What? Dahmer? As in Jeffrey Dahmer? What are you doing working on a non-magical serial killer case?"

"If only he was non-magical. This last month would have been so much more pleasant. And the cover-up wouldn't be sucking away my will to exist. Why couldn't he have been practicing his little necromancy rituals in someone else's jurisdiction?" Tony rubbed his eyes. "Fucking Dahmer."

Harry looked over in surprise. "He was a necromancer?"

"Trying to be. Failing, thankfully. Don't want to talk about it." Tony wriggled his fingers at the bottle of Coke on the coffee table, making it fly over to him.

"I was drinking that," Green protested.

"And now I am."

Green snorted.

"Anyway, Jamie, that's the nice thing about the magical world," Tony continued. "We're a fairly eccentric and flamboyant bunch…" he cracked another yawn, "when it comes right down to it. I really don't think you'll have much trouble from the majority of people. Be yourself."

"Yeah, but…"

"But?"

"I want to do serious things when I grow up. I might want to, you know, be an Auror one day."

"A statement that would bring indescribable joy and happiness to many at the top of the USAS organization," Green told him with a bit of a grin. "I'm not sure I see this connection you're trying to make, though."

"Well, it's all fine and good for you," Harry muttered. "You might like guys, but you're such a- a- a guy! You're tough and strong, you kick ass, people know that you can get the job done and-"

Green burst out laughing. He wasn't the only one snickering or sniggering or outright laughing. "Come on, Jame," Green said with a snort. "Seriously?"

"Yes!"

"Jamie, I love you."

Harry eyed Green a little uncertainly. Green was giving him an almost exasperated yet fond look. "Um, I love you, too."

"But sometimes, child…" Green trailed off, just shaking his head.

"What?"

"Tough, strong, kick ass, can get the job done, why does this sound familiar?" Tony 'hm'ed. "You know, sounds like someone I know. He's, oh, about this tall, bit of a brat on occasion, throws a pretty mean right punch for an eleven-year-old-"

Harry shoved at Tony. "Oh, come on."

"I am, kid. There are dueling instructors back at HQ that are less feared than you by some of the trainees."

"Anyone that can stand up to Aki and call her a bitch is definitely tough," Green put in.

"Nah, she's a big softie inside."

Tony coughed. "Yeah… no. Not at all."

"Unless burning rage and hatred is soft and squishy," Suntree added.

"Jamie, you are nothing if not top notch Auror material." Green tousled his hair. "And you being eccentric and flamboyant on occasion won't change that at all."

Harry gave him a somewhat doubtful look.

"It won't."

"Davish," John said suddenly.

"Davish! Why didn't I think of that…?"

Harry glanced between John and Tony. "What? Hollen Davish? Death Wish Davish? What about him?"

"Gay."

"Flaming," Tony added. "When he wants to be."

Harry gaped a little. "Are you serious?"

"Very."

"But… I've seen him on TV! He's always grim and serious!"

"Ah, but there he's in super Auror business mode."

"That's true," Suntree remarked thoughtfully, coming further into the room. "His Auror persona is hard, tough and cold, but when he's not out in the field, he can be much brighter and flamboyant and rather stereotypically flaming at times."

Harry continued to gape. "Hollen Davish is _gay_?"

"Oh yes. And he won't hesitate to kick you where it really hurts if you try to rag on him about it," Tony said with a faint smile. "He's loud and he's proud of it."

"He's not the only gay Auror, of course; but if anyone was ever going to be the poster boy, it'd be Hollen Davish."

"He's really gay?"

"He really is, yes." Tony gave Harry a friendly nudge. "Really very much is."

"That's just- I mean- he's Hollen Davish! He's a legend! He's like the Rambo of the magical culture! He's Hollen freaking Davish!"

"I think you should meet him," Suntree remarked mildly.

Harry gaped. "What!?"

"Hm. Yes. Definitely should meet him." And with that, Suntree strolled out of the room, leaving Harry spluttering.

* * *

"You'll be fine," Tony murmured, dropping a hand to Harry's shoulder and giving a little squeeze. "He agreed quite readily to meet you."

"But he's a legend." Harry looked over at him, trying not to fidget. "A _legend_. I can't believe he actually agreed to Sun's crackpot idea of my meeting him."

Suntree raised a brow. "Crackpot?"

"Yes. Crackpot. _Legend_."

"So are you, Jame." Suntree's mouth twitched. "Full of legendy goodness."

"But he's a _real_ legend. I'm just a- a _me_."

"A 'just a me' never to be underestimated."

"No, Sunny, I do believe he said he was 'just a- a me'. Additional vowel sounds are important to remember," Tony teased.

"But he's _Hollen Davish_." Harry huffed, ignoring Tony. "_Death Wish Davish_. Most awesome Auror ever. Like seriously."

"Nice to know how the rest of us rate with you."

Harry made a noise of frustration.

Suntree laughed and ruffled his hair. "You'd be surprised if you knew how many Auror trainees say just that when we say we're bringing you by."

Harry gave him a doubtful look.

"No, really. Granted, it's not all because you're the legendary Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived, yada yada, blah blah, yawn yawn-"

Harry viciously poked Suntree's side. Suntree grabbed his wrist and continued on.

"-some of us have nothing but praises for you, you know. And some of the people you've trained with have plenty to say, too. Someone of your various talents would be a bit intimidating for an Auror trainee or greenie to meet, even without the yada, blah, yawn attached."

"Anyway," Tony said, nudging him to the right as they reached a fork in the hallway, "I think this visit will do you good. You'll be glad Suntree, in all his awesomeness-"

"Glad someone appreciates me."

"-arranged this little visit for you. You'll see. Davish is far, far more flamboyant than you are when he wants to be. Not that you're as flamboyant as you seem to think you are most of the time."

"So you keep telling me."

"Maybe, just maybe, it might be true."

Harry made a face but didn't have a chance to respond. An instructor Harry worked with on occasion came around the corner, leaning heavily on a cane and looking like she'd come out on the wrong end of a fight. When she spotted them, her mouth turned up in a crooked grin. "Hey, JP."

Harry frowned a little. "Didn't you lose a fight with a chimera or something?"

She gave a bark of a laugh. "Hell no! I _won_ a fight with a chimera, JP. That's why I'm standing here talking to you today."

Harry looked her up and down. Almost six months of Healer training made it easy for him to spot the signs of massive amounts of recent healing, both physically and in the currents of her magic. "I'm surprised the Healers let you out of bed."

"Well, they didn't technically let me do anything. I sort of technically decided to let myself go."

"They're so going to drag you back and tie you down when they discover you've gone."

She gave another barking laugh. "If they can find me. Be nice to the greenies while I'm gone, JP. Wait till I come back and can laugh my ass off."

Harry grinned. "No promises."

"Catch ya later, kid."

Harry snorted as she thumped off down the hall. "They'll find her." Harry let Tony nudge him into moving again. "And damn right they should find her. You still lose if you win a fight against a chimera. I can't believe she's out of bed."

"Damn stubborn woman."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Not that you're any better, Tony."

"At least I'm not a freak." He ruffled Harry's hair. "I've never met someone who can shrug off a couple broken fingers and then agonize half the night over a splinter."

"That thing hurt like hell!"

"Language."

"Splinters are evil," Harry continued, ignoring Suntree. "Evil, I tell you."

Tony chuckled. "You sure do make things interesting."

He grinned. "And I don't even try."

"I bet not."

Suntree cleared his throat. "And here we are."

"It'll be fine, wildcat." Tony tapped on the door. "Just be yourself."

Almost immediately, a smooth voice called out for them to enter. Harry gave a little bounce on his toes, recalling the many descriptions he'd heard of the flamboyant, flaming, wild, eccentric legend of a man he was about to meet. He tried not to show how nervous he was, but he figured there'd be no hiding that from someone like _Hollen Davish_. He just hoped the effort would count.

"Ready?" Suntree asked, reaching out and resting a hand on the office door.

"If I said no?"

"Too late." Suntree opened the door and stepped back.

"Go on," Tony muttered, giving Harry a little nudge that sent him walking into the room. They followed him in.

"Are we in the right place?" Harry blurted out after getting a good look at the non-descript office and man sitting quietly behind a simple, perfectly ordinary desk. Harry blushed brilliantly as the man looked up from his computer, expression mild.

The man, presumably Hollen Davish, gave him a measuring up and down look. Intense violet eyes aside, the guy was, well, just another guy. Much younger looking than Harry had expected, but relatively ordinary. Even the red brown hair managed to be short and spiky in a relatively ordinary way. For some reason, Harry remembered it as being much redder from seeing him on television.

"I expected you to be taller," Hollen remarked after a few moments.

Harry huffed and gave him a funny look. "I expected you to be gayer."

"Mine's an issue that's fairly easy to correct."

"Yeah?" Harry crossed his arms. "So's mine. It's called puberty. Just give me a few more years. I mean, seriously, you should have seen me five years ago. I was _tiny_. This is, like, totally an improvement over being _six_."

The man's mouth turned up in an amused smile.

"I mean, I'm _eleven_ now. It's completely mind boggling. Imagine how tall I'll be in five years. Or hell, ten years!" Harry glanced sideways towards Suntree and barreled on as Suntree opened his mouth. "Ignore the biblical reference. The issue at hand is my not being, in fact, a cousin to the Sasquatch."

"I wasn't expecting a Sasquatch." Hollen casually leaned back in his chair. "Or speeches. Just a couple more inches. And maybe some heroic posing. Or theme music."

Harry gave him a look. "So sorry to disappoint."

"I mean, I have theme music. It follows me everywhere. Part of the legend package. Why don't you have it?"

Harry put his hands on his hips. "You're just having me on now. I'm eleven, you know. Eleven does not equal retarded. And my comeback does not equal my not spotting your hyperbole. And I realize that hyperbole isn't the right word, but it sounded more awesome. So I win."

Suntree gave a little cough from behind Harry. "He gets a bit mouthy when he's nervous," he muttered. Harry aimed a dark look over his shoulder.

Hollen laughed. "He's just the cutest thing ever."

Harry looked back to Hollen and after a moment of indignant staring, gave a huff. "I happen to think kittens are perhaps just slightly cuter."

"And so modest."

"I'm not paid to be modest."

"You're paid?"

"Well, that's the point, isn't it?" Harry half rolled his eyes. "I'm not being paid. You'd have to pay me to be modest. Modesty isn't any fun, you know."

Hollen shook his head, letting out another deep laugh. He pushed the chair away from the desk and spun it around to face Harry as he held out a hand. "Hollen Davish."

"Gosh, wow, really?" Harry eyed the hand as Hollen's mouth turned up a little more.

"Neither of us will spontaneously combust if we touch," Hollen remarked.

Harry had to resist the urge to stick out his tongue as he stepped forward, taking the hand. Hollen's grip was surprisingly strong without trying to crush his hand, both things that occurred more often than not. When he wasn't being given the death grip, most people were giving him the limp, sissy, 'shaking a kid's hand' kind of grip.

"I'm the boy with far too many names. Who obviously doesn't need an introduction, anyway, considering you knew I was coming."

Hollen smirked. "Does that mean I can call you princess?"

Harry sniffed. "I think at this important stage in my life that prince would be more appropriate, what with puberty approaching and all of its tricky identity explorations and transformations and stuff. Don't want to be known as 'the guy who gave Harry Potter an identity crisis at the tender age of eleven', I expect. Wouldn't look good on a résumé kind of thing."

"Because that's very important to me, not having that on my résumé. It would completely ruin my life."

"Exactly. Um, can I have my hand back…?"

Hollen gave his hand a considering stare, a look briefly crossing his face that suggested he'd forgotten he was holding it. After another moment of consideration, he shifted his grip on Harry's hand to study it.

"Hm. Strong hands. Surprisingly so, really, given your age. You're definitely no stranger to working with them. Well taken care of, too. You fly a lot, and quite well. Not just a competent flyer, I'd wager, but a truly gifted flyer." He rubbed a thumb over the finger pads and then down the sides of several fingers to the palm. Harry's hand gave a little twitch at the almost tickling touches.

"Interestingly," Hollen murmured after a few more moments of study, shifting Harry's hand this way and that with care, "you don't seem to hold a wand very often. So that means… you rely on wandless magic for normal magic use, use your left hand for a lot of wand work, don't use magic very often, or have a strange way of holding your wand. From what I know word-of-mouth of your reputation in dueling, it seems unlikely to me that you don't use magic very often, so that's out. Wandless magic is what I'd bet on, and yet… you must either have very good control of wandless magic, control that adults twice your age usually don't have, or you use your left hand more than the evidence would suggest…"

Harry looked down at his hand, frowning a little as he studied his hand. "Um, o…kay… How'd you figure all that?"

"I do hope the taking care of them part is obvious."

"Rather," Harry told him a little dryly.

Hollen turned Harry's hand again gently, studying the fingernails with a little smile. "I don't think I've ever seen a little boy-"

"And you're not looking at one right now," Harry interrupted.

Hollen considered him. "I apologize. Young man?"

"Acceptable."

Hollen smiled a little more. "I don't think I've ever seen a young man with such well taken care of fingernails. Boys," his mouth twitched, "and young men are usually given to activities that leave them looking clean and short at the very best. Ragged and with traces of dirt under them is more likely." He looked up. "Manicures?"

"Mmhm."

"Lovely, aren't they?"

Harry glanced down at the hand holding his. The nails were just as well kept as his, and Harry thought he could also detect the shine of clear polish on them. "Yes, quite nice," he said after a moment. "Magical ones, mainly. They feel good, and they help keep your hands more sensitive for wandless magic."

"Yes, I know." Hollen gave him a rather amused smile. "Picking up on that sort of little detail is much more important than people realize, and something that most people notice but never actually think about. Always think."

Behind him, Harry heard Tony clear his throat quietly in a way that suggested he was swallowing back a snicker. Harry wondered if Green had said something about the Luscious Caramel-Coated Candy Apple Green nail polish thing. "I'll remember that," Harry said, biting back a snicker of his own.

"Mm. Good handshake, too. You have a very good handshake – confident, easy going, but firm and steady. I've met many a man that could do with a handshake like that. Though I most certainly noticed your hesitation before you returned my grip. Very curious, that." Hollen gave him a searching look. "It strikes me very much as you gauging the handshake before returning it with something appropriate. Is that right? Is that something you were taught, or something you just do on your own?"

"Um…"

"That's classified," Suntree put in mildly.

Hollen's brows went up. "Classified? His handshake is classified?"

"Yes."

Hollen looked back at Harry with more interest and speculation. "Well, well, a classified handshake. How intriguing."

Harry gave him a vague smile.

"How very intriguing." Hollen looked over to Suntree and Tony, his gaze lingering in Tony's direction for a second longer, his smile becoming a little odd. "Is it safe to continue to analyze his hand, or will someone come along to drag me away for learning top secret handshake information?"

"I think further analysis will be safe enough," Tony said blandly.

Harry glanced between the two. He couldn't tell anything by looking at them, but Hollen's magic almost seemed to pull in closer to his skin when he studied Tony. Harry didn't know Hollen well enough to be able to tell what the feeling was, but he knew it wasn't fear.

"Lucky me." Hollen looked back, drawing Harry's attention away from the magic. "Your strength is another trait that's fairly obvious, wouldn't you say?"

Harry nodded.

"It's not just your hands that are strong. You carry yourself with strength. Weight training?"

"Um, gymnastics, really. And karate and other physical defense things."

"This strength isn't a recent thing."

"I've been in gymnastics since I was three or four."

"Ah. Hm. Agile hands, definitely very used to controlled movements. Your hand tells me you're a very talented flyer. Can you see why?"

Harry studied his hand closely, trying to see it as something unfamiliar. Whatever it was that Hollen was seeing, though, Harry couldn't see. "Um, no, not really."

"See here and here and in this area, those are areas that should be callused." He ran his thumb over the side of Harry's hand with a curious, thoughtful look. "These areas should have calluses from the broom, too, even with taking very good care of your hands with magical products as you do. You must wear gloves when you fly."

Harry shrugged a little. "I wear gloves a fair bit."

"Not something most children- sorry, young men…" Hollen gave him a vaguely amused smile. "Not something most young men are in the habit of. You see, you have calluses just on your fingers, not anywhere along the palm. You're on a broom a lot, but you have a high quality broom, good gloves, and you've had very good teaching. And given everything else, it's obvious that your hold is almost always correct and you barely, if ever, falter."

Harry lifted his left hand to touch his right curiously, fingertips brushing over the areas Hollen had. It wasn't obvious to him, let alone very obvious, not until he let wandless magic pool in his fingertips, making them tingly and sensitive.

"Right. But you're using magic to make your fingers sensitive," Harry pointed out. "It's not something most people would be able to tell. You shouldn't act like it'd be perfectly obvious to anyone just paying attention."

Hollen gave him another interested and speculative look. "Very good. You didn't feel it, I take it?"

"Just touching the skin, no."

"I find that very interesting. You decided I had done something instead of figuring you just weren't able to sense it."

"Or I gathered wandless magic in my fingertips to make them sensitive," Harry pointed out dryly.

Hollen considered him. "There is that possibility, yes."

"Mean to tell me something wasn't just completely obvious to you?" Harry asked with mock-shock.

Hollen gave him an unreadable look.

From the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Suntree tense very slightly. He wouldn't have even noticed if Suntree's magic hadn't tensed a lot.

"Hm. One can't be perfect all the time." Hollen smiled in an odd, faint way. "Any more smart things to point out? How about my saying you don't hold a wand very often? Any idea why I say that?"

"Well…" Harry looked down at his hand. "I… think so. You already know I must use magic a lot from other things, and I expect there'd probably be a hint of calluses or something like that if I used a wand a lot. That'd explain why you thought I might hold my wand in a weird way, at least. I think… I think you're kind of making a leap of faith on the wand thing. You can tell I use wandless magic a lot, so you're figuring I probably don't use wanded magic too much."

"Mm." Hollen gave him a faintly pleased smile. "And why can I tell you use wandless magic a lot?"

"That's easy. My hand is sensitive." Harry gave a little shrug. "When you were brushing your fingers over the skin earlier, it kind of tickled. I'm sure you noticed the reaction. The hand actually loses a bit of sensitivity if you use a wand a lot."

"Any idea why?"

"Wand use focuses magic through a center point in the palm, at least when using standard wand movements. Variants exist in other cultures and with certain length wands, but even then, there are certain contact points between the skin and the wand that need to be maintained until…" Harry gave a little cough. "Um, the rest of the area sort of deadens so you don't lose magic. It makes it really hard to learn wandless magic after you get used to using a wand, too, since the strongest magic release areas on the hand are awkwardly placed for focusing wandless magic. So… yeah, my hand is more sensitive than it would be if I regularly used a wand."

"You seem to have quite the grasp of theory."

"Well, theory shapes understanding, understanding shapes intent, and intent shapes the magic when it's used. The better grasp of theory you have, the clearer your intent."

"Quite so. And yes, you're quite right." He smiled slowly. "I think I just might be impressed." Hollen grinned and let go of his hand, leaning back in his chair. "I bet you didn't expect that."

"I wasn't exactly expecting anything, I don't think." Harry slipped his hands into his pockets, rubbing his palm against the material discreetly. His magic felt prickly and strange now that Hollen had let go; on reflection, Hollen's magic felt prickly and strange.

"Hm."

"I don't think I'm very surprised, though," Harry continued as Hollen's silence stretched. "No, not really surprised. I get that a lot, actually. People seem to want to quiz me when they meet me, like they want to catch me not being as great as they think I am or something. So, uh… congratulations, you've acted predictably in a rather odd sort of way."

"Mm." Hollen considered him through half lidded eyes. "You have the makings to be a damn good Auror."

Harry perked up a little. "Yeah?"

"Quite."

"Thanks." Harry shifted his hands in his pockets, studying the sedate man in front of him. "No offense or anything-"

"Then perhaps you shouldn't say whatever it is you think will offend."

"Yeah… But you're not actually, really, you know, all that gay."

Hollen's brows lifted a little. "Neither are you."

"Yeah, but I can be."

"And I can't?" Hollen snorted, crossing his legs, ankle on knee. "I'm usually fairly… we'll say flamboyant, when I'm not on the job. Very flamboyant, very loud, very proud – that kind of gay. I'm just having a drab day." He waved a hand vaguely. "Drab or not, gay or not, whatever or not… The simple fact is that the more talented you are, the more capable, the more skilled, the more experienced, the more crap people are going to put up with. Whatever I want to be, I just am. Because I have it, the talent, the skill, the experience. I'm a legend for a reason."

"And so humble," Harry said dryly.

"About as humble as you, it seems."

Harry snorted a little.

"So that's your concern? People working with you, accepting you, respecting you, right? Frankly, I say fuck 'em. And you can keep your opinion to yourself, Sunshine." Hollen looked past Harry to Suntree. "You can keep up the ridiculous illusion of maintaining his linguistic innocence outside of my office."

Suntree's mouth tightened a little but he said nothing.

Hollen looked back to Harry. Harry was giving him a slightly wide-eyed look. "Like I was saying, fuck 'em. But that's my take on it. I just do whatever the hell I want and people have to deal with it. And people will deal with it. You're talented, no mistaking that, and you're level headed. When the time comes, the USAS will be only too happy to snap you up. If you're not an asshole," Hollen's eyes flicked in Tony's direction for a moment and then back, "then I don't think you've got anything to worry about, no matter how else you act. Be fabulous, be flashy, be flaming, who cares."

Harry considered him, looking amused. "Was all that stuff with my hand a test to see if I was worth the effort of giving the 'be fabulous, be gay, be an Auror today' speech?"

Hollen chuckled. "What do you think?"

"Couldn't say really. I don't know you well enough to make a definite guess on that."

"And if you had to make an uncertain guess?"

"Well…" Harry rocked on back on his heels. "I'd probably go with… if it wasn't something you consciously decided beforehand, it became a test once you started asking me questions."

"Perhaps. Just perhaps." Hollen gestured to the couch and chairs to the side of the room. "You amuse me. If you can think of anything you want to ask, I think I can spare a little more time for you."

"How gracious of you."

Hollen shrugged, uncrossing his long legs and stretching them out in front of him. He watched Harry through half-lidded eyes, an expression on his face that put Harry in mind of a plotting cat. "Be warned, kid," Hollen said after a handful of moments. "I don't have anything invested in you. You seem nice enough. I think you've got it in you to be a hell of an Auror. But I really don't care about you one way or another. You ask me a question, I'm not going to sanitize my answer. So think carefully. I can't promise that you'll like the answers."

Suntree cleared his throat. "I can't imagine what he'd have to ask that we wouldn't-"

"You never know, Sunshine," Hollen interrupted with a wave of his hand. "That's the point, isn't it?" He gave Suntree and Tony an odd smile, half smirk and half something else. "Unless you don't think he's mature enough to handle it."

Harry glanced over. Suntree and Tony were exchanging a look, Suntree's mouth tight and Tony's brows raised slightly. Harry wasn't sure what it meant, but he didn't really need to. He turned back to Hollen with an eye roll.

"That won't work," he told Hollen. "I mean, seriously. That sort of comment only works if I get upset about it. And I know what you're doing. That sort of comment is just waiting to make a kid bristle and get indignant about being mature when the adults stop to think about it. And my response to that is eye rolling amusement. So you lose."

Hollen considered him. "So when they say you shouldn't hear it, you trust that they know what they're talking about?"

"Of course. And if I do disagree, I talk to them about it. I don't huff up and act like I'm four. If I do that, then I'm obviously not mature enough to hear it and don't deserve to."

Hollen smiled slowly. "That's very good-"

"And you can stop that right now, thank you very much," Harry interrupted. "You've got this edge in your voice, like an instructor pleased with a student or something."

Hollen outright laughed. "I hadn't been aware. You're rather forthright, aren't you?"

Harry glanced at Suntree.

"Outspoken," Suntree answered. "Direct in speech or manner, very honest. Plain and simple in style."

"Ah." Harry looked back to Hollen. "I guess I am, then."

"But not too arrogant," Hollen mused. "Or if you are, you keep it tucked away quite well. That'll go a long way to making people comfortable with you." The corner of his mouth twitched up, but he didn't look very amused. "No point in saying otherwise, there will be people who won't like you because you're gay. Even in the USAS." Hollen gave Suntree a quelling look and got up, resting a hand briefly atop Harry's head as he moved to sprawl in one of the worn chairs. "Come sit."

Harry glanced over at Suntree and Tony, trying to shake off the odd feeling that lingered where Hollen had touched the top of his head. Tony raised a brow at him very slightly, but Harry just rolled his eyes slightly in response.

"Going to join me?"

"Yeah." Harry sighed to himself as he paused beside the couch. He had to hop up and wriggle to settle onto it in a halfway normal way. Tony settled next to him with ease.

"You know, it's not my fault that you think I'm short when you're, like, huge, okay?" Harry muttered at Hollen's smirking look of amusement. "You must be what? Six two?"

"Three, actually."

"I was close."

"You were. Impressively so, I must say." Hollen smiled a little. "I've been feeling tall lately."

Harry frowned a little. "What?"

"I've been feeling tall lately," Hollen repeated.

"Oookay… So, you were saying about people?"

"That there'll be people who simply won't accept you or tolerate that you're gay. Even here. It's true that the USAS is a very friendly organization, as is much of magical America. Not a lie, per se, but it doesn't really tell the complete truth. Magical people can be just as harsh as non-magical people. Even harsher, sometimes." He gave a careless shrug.

Harry considered that. He was startled out of his thoughts by an odd flicker of magic; a glance at the desk revealed a folder sitting in a previously empty wooden tray.

"America tends to be better about it than some of the other magical communities," Hollen continued, drawing Harry's attention back with another start. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Fine. Yeah. Go on. America better?"

"Mmhm. It's an odd situation, really. Usually the more traditional a community is, the higher the value they place on good-blooded alliances and marriages. That tends to lead to a negative view of homosexuality. But on the other hand, there are places that focus so much on good-blooded alliances that a person is defined strictly by their blood, and sexual preferences are almost ignored. You understand?"

Harry nodded.

Hollen leaned forward a little as he shifted in his seat. Harry watched with interest as the spiky ends of Hollen's hair began to turn a brighter red. "But on the flip side," Hollen continued, "here in America, we've also been far more influenced by non-magical things. We have to contend with the media, government views and definitely religious views, things that don't have much impact on a lot of other magical communities." He made a dramatic gesture with a hand. "So it's not all fabulously pink sunshine and gorgeous yellow roses."

"I'd imagine not," Harry said with amusement. "Considering that people are still people, magical or not."

Hollen inclined his head. "And that's something that some magical people seem to have a lot of trouble with."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah. And 'some magical people' also have trouble working a remote control. I don't put much stock into most of the people who fall into the 'some magical people' category. They're a bunch of retards."

Hollen's mouth twitched with amusement. "Good attitude to take, certainly." He shook his head slightly. "The USAS does happen to be one of the more accepting organizations in magical America, mind you. I expect it comes from having so many odd people. Granted, not everyone within the USAS is accepting, not by any means. But if you have tough skin and you do your job, you'll get respect, and maybe even admiration, even if some people never end up liking you on a personal level. And that's just the way it is. Think you can you handle that?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"You sure?"

Harry grinned. "Frankly, fuck 'em."

Suntree made a noise of displeasure. "Jamie."

"What? Oh, don't even, Sunny. I say that sort of shit all the time and you know it."

Hollen's mouth turned up in a half smirk. "Losing the battle for linguistic innocence there, Sunshine?"

Harry gave Hollen a look. "Don't be an asshole."

Hollen raised a brow slightly. "It's another good attitude to take. But the type of people that say 'fuck 'em' easily tend to be the type of people who are really nothing but needy pleasers deep down."

"Yeah?" Harry crossed his arms. "You talking about yourself there?"

Hollen gave a snorting laugh. "You've got some sass in you, kid."

Harry grinned.

"And in a few years, you'll even be able to pull off that cocky look. Don't strain yourself in the meantime."

"Just what we need, someone encouraging Jamie to be cocky," Tony muttered.

Harry elbowed him. "Hey."

"Watch them bony elbows of doom, wildcat."

Hollen chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. Harry eyed it curiously; the tips were now bright, bright red while the rest remained a normal red brown. "When they sent me the query about meeting you and why, it said that you had a tendency towards flash and flare and dramatics," Hollen said at last. "I was having a little trouble imagining that at first, but I'm beginning to see that you certainly could have moments."

Harry snickered. "Yeah, I have moments."

"I get the feeling, however, that they must happen more often than they seem to, for you to be here. Do you suppress some of your tendency towards the dramatic outside of your family, or are you just more reserved away from family?"

"Oh, um… I really have no idea." Harry looked at Tony curiously. "Do I do that?"

"Hm. Sunny?"

Suntree came over to stand beside the couch. "Now that it's been pointed out, yes, I think you do," he said a little blandly after a moment. "I had known you were a little more reserved when outside of the home environment in many cases, but I hadn't thought anything of it. I would have said it was for safety reasons, not wanting to draw attention to yourself. But really thinking about it, I don't think that'd be a concern of yours. So yes, I think you do suppress it to some degree."

Harry considered that. "Huh."

"Mm." Hollen glanced around at the three of them before focusing on Harry. "There's nothing wrong with being flamboyant, and there's nothing wrong with being reserved, and there's nothing wrong with being anything in between. But you need to be aware of how you're acting. That's important. And speaking from the position of someone that people have expectations of, realistic or not, you should also think about what you want the public to see. It's perfectly acceptable to adopt a persona around strangers. Do you know what that means?"

Harry considered that closely. "I… think so."

"Create Harry Potter. It doesn't have to be something that you're not. In fact, it probably shouldn't be. You don't want to lie about yourself. But know how you want the public to see you. Shy, outgoing, chatty, quiet, whatever, but try to be consistent."

"Yeah, Jerem has sort of talked to me about that. He said we'd go over it more when I'm older."

"Jerem Calito?"

Harry gave Hollen a surprised look. "Yeah. You know him?"

"I know of him. He's good at what he does. Very protective of his clients. Whoever chose him made a good choice."

Harry jerked a thumb at Suntree. "Him and Mom."

Hollen considered Suntree for a moment before looking back at Harry. "You should talk to Jerem. I expect he'll advise you to be yourself in public."

"Yeah, he just thinks we'll have to fine tune a few little things."

Hollen nodded. "If you want my advice…?"

"No, I'm just here to admire your office," Harry said dryly, rolling his eyes. "Woo, it's boring, go you."

"Good then. Saves me from wasting my breath."

"Yes, please, I'd love some advice."

Hollen snorted. "Don't hide it – your flamboyancy, your whatever, whoever you are. It's not worth hiding it. Be outspoken. Maybe try to be polite about it. Be as much of yourself as you want to be. My experience has been that if I'm loud, obnoxious and flaming as hell, when people accept me, I know that they're also accepting the fact that I'm gay and not ashamed, and I'm damn well going to speak my mind when I want to. There're no nasty surprises later, no worries about someone finding out in a way I wouldn't want them to, no fears about anything going public and making my life difficult. And that's definitely not something you want, someone going public with something personal. You choose your own press; don't let someone else choose it for you."

"Jerem says that," Harry murmured. "Make your own stories, don't become someone's story."

"And he's very right."

Harry nodded slowly. "That sounds reasonable."

"It helps in my work, too. If I have to work with someone and that would be an issue, I'll know right up front. It won't suddenly come up at a time when we can't afford to have a problem. Beyond that, people always have stereotypes, no matter how accepting they might be in general. There're always stereotypes. And I must say, I sure as hell don't mind being underestimated because I let out my inner peacock." He laughed, brows going up with amusement. "And I sure as hell don't mind letting it out on assignments, no matter how grim I might look for the cameras. What people don't expect can only help you."

"Well, that's not strictly true, but I can see where you're going with that."

"Work it if you've got it, kid. That holds true for anything at your disposal. That's my motto. Work it if you've got it." Hollen flourished a hand. "And look fabulous while you do so, of course." The corner of his mouth turned up in a half smirk. "Think you got it?"

Harry outright grinned. "I think I've got it."

"I know you've got intelligence going for you, you've definitely got good looks coming your way, and I know you sure as hell have the magic and ability. Find your inner peacock and have fun with life, if that's what you want." Hollen tapped the side of his nose with amusement. "Another tip for you, kid. The more outrageous and great you are, the harder it is for people to know how to react to you. There comes a point where you can't be stereotyped, you can't be labeled, and people are more likely to just react to you, not react to who they think you are."

Harry nodded slowly. "I like the sound of that."

"I'm not going to lie; the world isn't going to love you. Some people just won't like you or respect you, no matter how you are or what you do. But if those idiots don't matter to you, then you're ahead of the game."

"Right."

"So, you still think you've 'got it'?"

"Yeah…" Harry looked over at Tony and Suntree. They both looked fondly amused and resigned to varying degrees. It made Harry grin. "Think I've got it, Sun?"

"I know that when you start singing about magic pants, you've got it," Suntree answered dryly.

"And gushing about the goblin king in said magic pants," Tony put in.

"Are you talking about the Labyrinth?"

Harry looked at Hollen in surprise, grinning widely. "Yes!"

"Magic pants… I find I must agree, yes, very magic pants."

"They were! Just so… yeah. And I loved his makeup! And what a voice…" Harry trailed off with a little sigh.

"We're quite aware," Tony told him with a smile. "Quite aware."

Harry grinned again. "He's perfect!"

"Had he come in here like this," Hollen said with amusement, "I never would have questioned him being dramatic or gay."

"Feh." Harry waved a hand vaguely. "Who wouldn't be for Jareth?"

Hollen's response was interrupted by a loud triple chime from his computer, signaling an urgent message received. "Excuse me." Hollen got up and settled at the desk, pulling his chair in close as he tapped a few keys and studied the screen.

Harry stared at Hollen's hair; it was fire engine red without a hint of brown. "You're a morpher!"

"Hm?" Hollen looked over. "Oh, yes, I am." He looked back to the screen, reaching for the folder that had come earlier and flipping it open. It was dark green, a color used only by the healers for sending personal health information; Harry was puzzled. He gave a start when Hollen spoke again. "Damn. It looks like I have to put some stuff together for an unexpected meeting. We'll have to cut this tête-à-tête short."

Harry gave Suntree a curious look.

"A private conversation or interview," Suntree told him. He raised a brow slightly. "Though it's being used incorrectly in this instance. Technically, it's between two people, and technically, there were four of us involved in this meeting."

"Stuff it, Sunshine," Hollen retorted from the desk.

"We'll just be going then," Harry said quickly at seeing Suntree's slightly narrow-eyed expression. He shimmied off the couch.

Hollen looked back over with a snort. "Hope they warned you about the paperwork, kid."

"What?" Tony shook his head as he stood. "And scare him away?"

"Nah, I know about all the scary paperwork."

"Then you're all set. Sorry you didn't have time to ask any questions."

"Didn't really have any," Harry told him with a shrug.

"Works for me. Just remember what I said."

"Work it if you've got it?"

"Work it if you've got it. And I'm betting you've got it." He sent a grin over his shoulder as he got up to shuffle through a filing cabinet. "I do hope your visit was fabulous, even if my office is in the middle of drab and dreary redecorations and I'm in the middle of a drabby and drear self day."

"It was… unexpected. But informative. Not a bad day's work."

Hollen snorted.

Harry rolled his eyes and came away from the seating area. He hesitated a moment by the desk and then snagged Hollen around the waist in a hug as Hollen turned away from the cabinet.

Hollen made a sound of surprise and stiffened, but Harry held on and slowly Hollen relaxed enough to awkwardly drop an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Er, yes, good then. And all that. Yes."

"Thanks for having me visit."

"Yeah, sure. That's me. Mentoring the next generation of gay super-Auror."

Harry pulled away with a laugh and caught Tony's hand as he made his way to the door.

"Hey, Sunshine, stay a minute."

Suntree crossed his arms and nodded for them to leave.

Tony gave Harry a little nudge out of the office. As Tony closed the door behind them, Harry gave Tony a curious look. Tony just shrugged, moving to lean against the wall opposite the doorway. "So what'd you think?"

"Interesting." Harry came over and hugged Tony, leaning into him. Tony returned the hug, rubbing Harry's back. "He was a little bit of a jerk, wasn't he?" Harry asked quietly after a moment. "I kind of didn't expect that."

"Well…"

"Well?"

"He just got back from a really hard assignment."

"So he's not usually like that?"

Tony let out a breath. "No, he's usually a bit of a jerk. But he means well. It's just his personality."

"Oh."

"You're an affectionate little imp, aren't you?" Tony asked after a few moments

"Mmhm."

"The visit wasn't quite what I'd expected when everyone discussed it… I know you were worried about acting a little too flamboyant, and meeting him was supposed to reassure you, but he was rather…"

"Worn down."

"Huh?"

"He was worn down," Harry repeated. "Worn out. He needs to take a break. His magic… it's really ragged at the edges. It felt weird."

"Huh. Well, he did agree to see you. Did the visit help at all?"

"You know… yeah, it did. Maybe even more than him being obviously gay, actually. I do believe everything that everyone's been telling me, but that meeting was kind of reassuring. That if I do let myself act a bit more dramatic, I don't have to be like that all the time. It doesn't have to become what I am. It's nice to know."

"Glad to hear it."

Suntree came out of the office.

"What'd he want?" Tony asked once the door was closed.

"Nothing much. Giving some advice. Auror stuff." He gave Tony a look and Tony nodded, stroking Harry's hair. Suntree studied them a moment. "You okay, Jame?"

"Mmhm."

"He's just being an affectionate imp," Tony explained.

"Ah. Rare species. Impus Affectionus."

"You're a dork, Sunny," Harry murmured. "Love you, anyway."

"Love you, too, kid. Love you enough to get you a milkshake before dinner. I shall brave The Spoon for you."

Harry laughed and pulled away from Tony to give Suntree a hug.


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: It would bring me the utmost of joy to hear your comments.

Betas: Hugs to them all. For they are awesome. (And I can no longer remember who helped with what chapters specifically hangs head)

AN: Some vague review responses in profile. I'm not doing as much with those since most people didn't seem to pay attention to them. Also, on the group I've put up a writing thing for anyone wishing to contribute newspaper articles about Jamie.

AN2: I know some people are impatient for me to just jump to Hogwarts, but understand that I have this story very well planned out and in fact the prequel is entirely written as of right now, I'm just going back to revise and add and subtract scenes as needed to clarify things or show things that people point out, etc. There's still a fair bit I need to establish and one more very important person I need to introduce, but there's probably only about ten more chapters to go.

* * *

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 31

* * *

"He's back again."

"I'd noticed," Suntree murmured, barely glancing away from where Harry was learning a blasting spell from one of the USAS instructors. "People start to make mistakes when he shows up. People get nervous. It's hard to miss."

Al shifted uneasily. "He sure as hell makes me nervous."

"I'd noticed that, too." Suntree frowned a little. "I don't think Jamie is powering that spell as much as he could."

"What?"

Suntree looked over at Al. Al was watching the far wall out of the corner of his eye. "Al?"

"Hm?"

"Pay attention to Jamie. Not Davish."

"Why's he keep showing up and watching?" Al muttered, not looking away.

"Al?"

"I mean, how can that kid not be a bundle of nerves?"

"Alaris?"

"Everyone else is."

"Marsen," Suntree said sharply.

Al gave a start. "What?"

"Pay attention to Jamie. It's not like Davish's going to come over here to talk to you. He just watches the kid and then leaves after a while."

"Right." Al looked back to Harry, though he remained on edge, eyes occasionally straying to the far wall.

Suntree sighed. "Vera's letting him try the curse unwanded, isn't she?"

"Hm?"

"Al?"

"I'm paying attention."

Suntree shook his head. "Al, the man's insane, but he's not going to come over and try to eat you, okay? Pay attention to Jamie and stop looking over at the damn wall."

"Ooh, Sunny used naughty language." Harry grinned as he came over to get a drink of water. "Who's insane?"

"No one. And just what do you think you're doing out there, young man?"

Harry carefully rubbed his fingers together as he continued to sip at his water. "Channeled the blaster wrong," Harry told them cheerfully. "Fingers sting a bit."

"You shouldn't be trying that wandless to begin with."

Harry shrugged a little. "Guess not. Thought I could manage it."

"Be more careful from now on."

"Right. Will do." Harry saluted.

Suntree snorted but gave Harry a small, fond look. "Get back out there."

Harry tossed the bottle to Suntree and skipped back over to his instructor.

Suntree sighed. "That kid." He glanced over and sighed again. "Al?"

"Hm?"

"Your hair's on fire."

"Mmhm."

"And now I'm tempted to set your hair on fire."

"That's nice."

Suntree gave Al a sidelong look. "No, far too easy."

* * *

"Hey, your training ended early? What are you- What happened to you?" Cam hurried over, but Harry shrugged off her concerned, fluttering hands.

"Hollen."

"What?!"

"Hollen happened. He was there watching and then he came over and asked to see how we'd do against each other."

"What?!"

Harry shot her an irritated look as he pushed open the doors to the medical office and limped over to a chair.

"I leave for an hour on an errand and you get- you have- Davish and you- Where was Suntree?!"

"Right there."

"Right there," Suntree echoed, coming into the room with thin lips and tightly folded arms. "I couldn't turn Davish down. I hadn't turned anyone else down. He hasn't actually done anything to warrant being turned down."

"He did _this_!"

"Shut up, Cam," Harry told her, waving acknowledgement to the healer peering out of the first room down the hall.

"Be with you in a couple minutes, JP."

Harry waved again. "I can wait."

"But-!"

"What happened," Harry interrupted crossly, "is that Hollen wanted to spar and we did and he handed me my ass. Got it?"

"But-"

"And stop looking at me like that."

Cam came over and tipped Harry's face up, gingerly touching the puffy area around a half healed cut on his cheek. "What-?"

"Cutting curse," Harry interrupted shortly, jerking away.

"And God, your leg!" Cam kneeled and reached out to touch Harry's knee, just above a long bloody gash in his pants she hadn't noticed at first, the mostly dried blood blending into the color of the pants. "Jamie!"

"Would you just back off?"

Cam looked helplessly at Suntree; Suntree's mouth thinned even more. "Davish had a few choice words after their training duel," he said.

"A few choice words…?"

"About how you were holding back on me!" Harry snapped, knocking Cam's hand away from his knee.

"Jamie." Suntree gave him a look.

"Don't you try that on me." Harry crossed his arms tightly. "You've been holding back on me! Here you were, praising me and telling me how good I am, and I'm not! It lasted for what? Thirty seconds?"

"Thirty seven," Suntree said flatly.

"I suck!"

"No, Jamie, honey, you don't, you're-"

Harry twisted away from Cam.

"Davish is one of the best Aurors-"

"And so is Tony," Harry interrupted, giving Suntree a dirty look. "And he doesn't kick my ass in thirty fucking- Oh, sorry, thirty _seven_ fucking seconds."

"You're being bratty and it's not flattering," Suntree told him sharply. "I suggest you take a few minutes to calm down and compose yourself."

Harry glared at him, but kept quiet.

"JP?"

Harry looked around, back down the hall. The healer was studying him. "Can you walk to the second room?" he asked with a quirk of a smile.

"Sure, Comp." Harry pushed himself out of the chair and brushed away Cam's helping hands. "Leave me alone," he muttered.

"Wait out here," Suntree told Cam, following Harry into an exam room.

"Quite the cut," the healer said once Harry was on the table and he'd begun to look at Harry's leg. "Going to have to cut the pants off at the knee. I'll get your shoes off, don't move."

"So long as you don't need to cut my leg off at the knee," Harry muttered.

The healer laughed. "Oh no. It takes a vicious curse, a complete mangling, a long period of time between serious injury and treatment, or something similar to cause enough damage that you can't heal." The healer went to work with a pair of scissors and then began to examine the gash. "Someone did a right job of this."

"Yeah…"

"And the healer in the training room did a good job of fixing it up. Not that I'm surprised. So this should take me about ten minutes to get sorted out. Once I'm done with that, I'll do a scan to see if there's anything strained or torn. Barring anything else wrong, you'll need to sit for half an hour, let this heal up, and then you'll be good to go."

Harry nodded, wincing as the healer poked and prodded. Suntree stood off to the side with a vague frown. Harry kept his eyes on the clock over the door.

After the man finished the healing and scan, he stood back, tucking his wand back into his white coat. "And in good shape once again. Now you'll stay here, won't you?"

Harry nodded.

"Good. So I'll be out in the office if you need me."

Harry nodded again.

The healer nodded to Suntree on the way out and then Suntree and Harry were alone.

"Just don't, okay?" Harry said at last.

"Wasn't going to," Suntree told him, staring at the far wall.

A strained silence settled for several minutes before Harry slammed a fist down onto the exam table. "I actually thought I was doing okay!"

"You were. You are."

"Hollen-"

"Wasn't holding back on you because you're an eleven-year-old kid," Suntree interrupted sharply. "And wasn't underestimating you for the same reason. He went at you like he would any other trainee. And any other trainee that he sparred would have lasted half the time you did."

Harry stopped short. "What?"

"You heard me."

"But, no…"

"But, yes." Suntree's eyes shifted to him, but he didn't turn his head. "I don't know how you could have managed to miss it, but the trainees are terrified of him. You aren't. And don't try and act like that makes you less able. Mindset is part of winning a fight."

"But it's still true! You guys are going easy on me! Just like Hollen said! I'm not being trained to my full potential!"

"You're eleven, Jamie-"

"You should still be training me to my full potential!"

"Don't interrupt me."

Harry shrank back a little at the hard voice and then set to glaring silently at Suntree.

"You're eleven, Jamie, and we're not going to start acting like we're training a professional solider twice your age. Got it? I _do_ see some areas that we could improve, and we will set to improving in those areas. But we're not going to seriously intensify your sessions just because _Hollen Davish_ says you could do better."

"But I could! Admit it! You know I could!"

"You could, yes."

"Then why aren't you training me to my full potential? There's so much more I could be doing!"

Suntree turned his head toward Harry. "I don't think you realize how remarkable your abilities are right now. That you can face an adult twice your age with twice your experience in a magic fight is one thing. You have help there, with your affinity for magic and its guidance. But you can also defend yourself impressively well without magic, and that's nothing to sneer at."

"But I could do more!"

"Why?"

"Because I can!"

"Jamie, because you can is never a reason to do something."

"I have to be able to protect myself!"

"You have bodyguards, in case you've forgotten."

Harry scowled. "One day I won't."

Suntree raised his brows a little. "And when that day comes, I daresay you'll be quite well trained and able to take care of yourself. You don't need to take care of yourself at eleven. Nor at twelve or thirteen or fourteen. That day won't happen for a while yet, and until then, you have bodyguards when you go out into potentially dangerous situations. You need to focus more on staying safe and out of the way."

"I need to be able to help…"

Suntree pushed away from the wall and went over to where Harry sat, reaching out to gently lift the down turned face. Harry shifted his eyes away, mouth twisted in a troubled frown.

"We can take care of you if there's danger, Jamie," Suntree told him quietly.

"I have to- I should help. I can do it. I can take care of myself. I can help."

"We all know you can take care of yourself. You need to relax and let us take care of you."

"You could get hurt," Harry muttered.

"That's part of being a bodyguard."

"You shouldn't have to get hurt for me!"

"We don't have to do anything. When we accept an assignment, yes, it becomes our duty. But that's it. We don't have to do it. We want to do it."

"I…"

"Because we care about you. Family. Family is. That's what you and Tony always say. Family is everything." Suntree smoothed Harry's hair back. Harry's flushed face was warm against his fingers and he pressed the back of his hand to Harry's forehead for a moment. "How do you feel?"

Harry was silent for several long moments, eyes dropping to his lap. "My leg hurts," he said at last, voice losing its hard, angry edge.

"It will while it heals."

"I know."

Suntree rested his hand on Harry's knee. "Chin up, kid. You lost a fight against Hollen Davish. There aren't that many people in the USAS that can claim to have won one. And you bloodied him first. There aren't that many people in the USAS that can claim that, either."

"It was just a scratch," Harry murmured.

"More than most people can hope for."

Harry looked back up at him. "Why aren't you training me to my full potential?"

"Ready to listen calmly, then?"

Harry picked at the frayed edge left behind where the pant leg had been cut off. "Yeah."

"I don't think we can, kid." Suntree chuckled at Harry's skeptical look. "You're eleven. Going on thirty sometimes, true, or four, depending on how you're acting- Hey, no need to attack me angrily with your toes," Suntree laughed, flicking Harry's good knee.

"Oww."

"What you get."

Harry hmphed.

"But that's the way it is, kid. You're eleven, like it or not. The adults are going to go easy on you, like it or not. You have a lot of bite, a hell of a lot of bark, but the truth is… you're still a puppy. You can't get into a serious fight with a larger, older dog and not get really hurt."

Harry frowned a little.

"You know it's true."

"I guess."

"You know it's true."

"Yeah… you're right."

"A physical fight, at least. We can step it up, but we can't really push your potential. Magically… it's more a matter of experience, wisdom and knowledge at this point. You know what to do wandlessly, you know what to do with a wand, and you understand a lot of the principles of basic magic. But that's no substitute for living and learning."

"Guess so…"

Suntree pressed his lips to Harry's forehead. "I think you're running a slight fever."

Harry snorted. "Are we not in a healer's office and is there not a healer just down the hall?"

"What? You don't think we should drag you on a two-jump Portkey ride to visit your primary?"

"Uh, no. Duh."

Suntree's mouth twitched. "Eloquent as always. I should start taking notes."

Harry rolled his eyes and leaned over to study his mostly healed leg. The gash stretched a good five inches, but looked like little more than a bad scratch at the moment. He was still fairly bloody though.

"Think I'll get a scar?" Harry asked, resisting the urge to start scratching at the now itching skin.

"Likely not. Too clean. You were practically holding still for it."

"Uh, yeah, but I was totally in the process of knocking him on his ass while he was doing it."

"He popped right back up again."

"And then I totally tied his shoelaces together and he fell on his face."

"It bought you one second, just how long it took him to spell those shoes off and roll over. Which he did in one move. And you wasted it, might I add."

"But then I totally recouped and sprained one of his fingers."

"You were aiming to break his wrist with a bludgeoning hex," Suntree said dryly.

"But I totally connected with something and didn't just miss altoge…"

"Finally sinking in?"

"Holy… fuck."

"Yes, seems to be sinking in," Suntree decided, studying Harry with a mildly amused look. "Occlumency definitely wasn't keeping you clear headed this afternoon."

"Holy fuck."

"Could sum up things fairly well, I think."

"Holy. Fuck."

Suntree tapped his cheek with a finger. "And here it comes…"

"Holy fuck! I lasted more than ten seconds against Hollen fucking Davish!" Harry gave him a wide eyed look.

"Welcome back to earth, good to see you, enjoy your stay in reality."

"Was I bitching you out because I managed to last thirty seven fucking seconds against Hollen fucking Davish?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you slap me upside the head?"

"It's more fun when your brain catches up with you and you gape like a fish."

"Holy fuck…"

"I'll go find the healer and see what we can do about that fever while you restart your brain."

"…Holy fuck."

"But I see obviously have to put in more work on your anger." Suntree made his way to the open door.

"Fuck."

"And watch your language," Suntree called back.

* * *

"Suntree, why did we agree to this?"

"You didn't."

"Why did you agree to this?"

"He asked."

"Why did you agree to _that_?"

"Al. Shut up."

"No, seriously, on what planet is it a good idea to let Davish have any sort of long term contact with Jamie?"

"On the planet where Davish asks me if he can help train Jamie in front of the Director of the USAS and the Director thinks it's a swell idea. Is that planet good enough for you? Yes? Good. Shut up."

"But he's-"

"Does it sound to you like I think this is a good idea?" Suntree glanced away from where Hollen was instructing Harry on wand movements. "I'm hardly thrilled."

"I can't believe Laney agreed to this," Al muttered.

"Laney hasn't agreed to any of Jamie's instructors since this summer," Suntree said after a few seconds, looking back to the wand movement instruction. "She decided it was pointless, because she didn't know any of the people and was going by our recommendations anyway. So she told me to go ahead and make the decisions."

"Oh."

"For what it's worth, I'm relatively certain that Davish isn't going to have of psychotic episode in the middle of a lesson. And I've told Jamie to stay out of Davish's personal business and just focus on doing what he's told. So far, Jamie appears to be using some common sense."

"I notice you're obsessive in watching their lessons, though."

"Just in case Jamie decides to stop using common sense and starts being irritatingly Jamie."

"Oh."

Suntree rubbed his forehead. "I've decided that there'll be no instruction or lessons for the next two weeks. Once Christmas is over and we're into next year, I'm hoping Davish will lose interest and drop the lessons."

Al perked up. "Think it's likely?"

"I'm hopeful."

Al deflated.

Suntree shrugged. "If nothing else, Davish will likely get his psych evaluation in January and be cleared for active duty again."

"So it's true?"

Suntree glanced over, and then back to watching. "What?"

"That Davish has to have two psych evaluations a year."

"A minimum of two."

"Somehow I'm not reassured." Al slouched, hands burrowing into his pockets. "At least Jamie isn't trying to make us be social with him," he muttered.

Suntree grunted.

"We taking Jamie to the Auror Christmas party this year?"

"No. He has a party at a friend's house on the same night. Jamie wants to go to that. He doesn't have as much of a chance to hang out with his non-magical friends as he does the Aurors. He'll likely go next year."

* * *

"You have a real gift, you know."

Harry smiled brightly. "Thanks."

Healer Dantre cast several spells with his wand and sat back with a nod. "Feeling better, Tammy?"

The woman on the exam table gave a nod. "Yeah. It's nice to be able to breathe properly again." She made a face. "The boss will probably make me wait a while before putting me back on active duty, though, to make sure it sticks."

"Better safe than sorry." Dantre ran through a few more tests before tucking his wand away. "The curse remnants appear to be completely neutralized. Jamie's aggressively stable magic wins another round."

Tammy laughed. "And I'm certainly grateful for it."

"Just continue doing those cleansing spells for the next two weeks."

"Sure thing, Healer D."

Dantre stood and Harry took that as his cue to stand as well. "One of the nurses will be in to see you in a couple minutes. Take care."

"You, too. And thanks, Jape."

Harry rolled his eyes. "You're welcome."

"Jape?" Dantre asked once they'd left the room.

"A lot of the Aurors call me JP." Harry shrugged. "Tam likes to call me Jape. She says it's entirely fitting."

"It is." Dantre eyed Harry with a slight smile. "Good to see your feet are working again."

Harry rolled his eyes. "That happened ages ago. It's old news."

"It happened last week."

"It's old news."

"Nah, we'll be talking about that for ages to come. Not every day we get to see Jamie, the boy as light on his feet as a cat, go head over heels because he can't handle crutches."

"For your information, there was a slick spot on the floor."

"That wasn't there ten seconds later."

"No one was looking hard enough."

Dantre snorted. "How's your ankle, by the way?"

"Perfect. But that Skele-Gro stuff is nasty."

Dantre grinned. "Maybe next time you'll think twice before you let someone shatter your ankle bones."

"It's not as if Hollen and I sat down beforehand and planned it all out, chortling maniacally."

"Probably would have freaked people out a little less if you had."

"You know, I seriously don't know what the big deal is here. It's not as if I haven't been hurt before. A broken wrist three times now from various training and practice sessions, a sprained ankle four times, some bruised ribs, multiple instances of lacerations, a-"

"You sound like a seasoned Auror," Dantre observed with amusement.

"The point is: it happens. I don't know what the big deal is that it was Hollen. He didn't mean it. He said he didn't mean it. He even apologized for it, and he told me when we first started working together that he wasn't going to apologize when I get banged up because it's part of the process. I barely even felt it. He responded so quickly with a pain numbing spell that I just had a second or two of unbelievable pain and then blissful nothing. And he gave me a chocolate bar the next time we met and we just spent a lot of time on theory and wand work."

"Because chocolate bars make everything better."

"Don't you start." Harry gave him a look. "It was a good chocolate bar. One of those special sweet shop chocolate bars, not anything paper wrapped and prepackaged. It had four different sections with different flavors; the mint was my favorite."

"I'll make note of that."

"It's just a good thing Tony was there that day instead of Sun. Tony's pretty cool with Hollen. Though Tony does have that weird thing…"

"Weird thing?"

Harry shrugged. "Sometimes it seems that… I don't know, Hollen seems a little reserved around him, except he doesn't show it…"

The healer gave him an odd look.

Harry coughed a little, realizing he probably oughtn't admit that he was studying people's magic without permission. "Just stuff. But it's just weird the way people react to Hollen. Most of the others are on a high wire of nervousness and act like they aren't. What's up with that?"

He shrugged. "You should ask them."

"They got nothing to tell me."

"And Davish?"

"He acts like they aren't doing it."

"Beats me, kid. I'm just a Healer; I don't have the inside scoop on all the latest USAS thrills and drama."

Harry sighed. "Damn." He perked up. "Hey, can you teach me the super duper pain numbing spell."

"Nope."

"Damn. Hollen wouldn't either."

"That would be because it's a Restricted Level Two spell. Just a few steps down from the Imperius Curse, in fact. You got a license for RL2?"

"Um… no. Not yet."

"Come back when you've got one and then we'll talk."

"Damn."

Dantre laughed and reached out to ruffle Harry's hair. "Knowing you, it's just a matter of time."

"That's because I am made of awesome."

* * *

"How's your hand?"

Harry settled carefully on the mat near Hollen, flexing the fingers of his left hand. "Still a little numb in the fingers. The rest feels a bit odd, but at least I can feel it."

"Good."

"That was a pretty powerful stinging hex."

"You should practice overloading your spells. Sometimes a simple spell nearly unraveling under the strength of the magic is more effective than a complex spell. You'll need Arithmancy to make it the most effective. Are you studying Arithmancy?"

Harry nodded. "Several years now. It's quite interesting, really. But why will the Arithmancy help?"

"You can't think of the reason on your own? Take a few minutes while the feeling returns to your fingers."

Harry nodded again and shifted, lifting a leg partway to his chest and rubbing a tender area below the knee that he just knew was going to bruise. "Well," he said after a several minutes. "Well, with Arithmancy you take a spell and break it down into its most basic number symbolization, and then you know which areas to stress and how to stress the sounds."

"And what areas of the spell can handle more magic being applied," Hollen pointed out. "A letter and sound sequence that reduces to a two symbolization is going to be weaker or stronger than a sequence that reduces to five?"

"Uh… Oh, um. Actually, that depends on what you want. If you want a really solid, stable spell that won't fluctuate too much, you need the smaller numbers. Base numbers are more grounded. Two boxes stacked on top of one another are much less likely to topple over with added pressure than five boxes stacked on top of one another. But at the same time, apex numbers allow for more variation."

"Why?"

"Structurally, apex numbers aren't quite as grounded and stable, but they allow for layering of power into them. Um, like the boxes again. You can put more stuff into five boxes than you can two boxes, and you have more options in how you stack them on top of each other and still have them all in a row. That allows a person to add subtle twists to basic spells."

"That was a very good explanation of theory. But it doesn't answer the question, now does it?"

"Oh. Um, no, not in so much. But I can't really- I mean, I can see where it could make sense that knowing Arithmancy helps strengthen a spell, but I don't quite understand why it makes a difference when you overload a spell with power. I mean, you're already pushing it to the max when you overload it, filling it up. Arithmancy could give variations, but when everything is already overflowing…"

"Take a couple more minutes and think about it. Try imagining it not as power flowing into a spell, but as the stacked boxes and those packing peanuts."

Harry rubbed his fingers, trying to ignore the little prickles as sensation began to flood back. Hollen spent the time waiting examining a scratch on his hand.

"Um…"

Hollen looked up. "Yes?"

"I'm not really… I just don't see it. I mean, you have the boxes and you fill them up with peanuts and then you stack them… wait a minute." Harry frowned as he considered his words. "A pure overload isn't working with the words; it's just pushing power into the usual words, isn't it? Yeah. So… if you just sort of flood the boxes with packing peanuts without paying attention, you'll have gaps. There will be areas of the boxes that you won't be able to fill with the packing peanuts and the peanuts won't be evenly spread out in the boxes and stuff. So if you fill each layer to the brim and then stack them up… You'll have a bit more power, wouldn't you?"

"Are you asking or telling me?"

"Telling you… Yeah. Just overloading isn't going to push power everywhere, not unless you really strain yourself. So knowing how the boxes are put together helps you find the ways to push the power into each box."

"Very good."

Harry grinned and then shrugged. "Even if I couldn't really figure it out on my own."

"No, you did. I just gave you some visualization to help you work it out. There's nothing wrong with giving someone a learning tool, just so long as the tool doesn't come prepackaged with ready to eat answers."

Harry snorted. "That's a weird way of putting it."

"I'm a weird guy."

"Yeah, I've noticed that."

"You're a pretty weird kid."

"I've noticed that, too."

"So you should probably take all that and discuss it with a real Arithmancy teacher. You've got one, right? I thought I heard something about a couple of tutors."

"Yeah, I do. And, you know, it's actually kind of strange. I've got several really great tutors that all come from the top of the top of the magic schools. Mr. John even took time off from his teaching to come teach me privately."

"Mr. John?"

"John Kigg. He's-"

"I know of him."

Harry glanced over in surprise. "Really?"

"Small world," Hollen said shortly.

"Oh. Right."

"And it's not surprising that you have the best tutors. They do seem to be securing the best of everything for you." Hollen smirked. "They have me, after all."

"You volunteered," Harry pointed out.

"Well, I couldn't exactly sit around twiddling my thumbs, waiting for them to ask me. Quite unlikely, them doing that. And you happen to be one of the most exciting things going on right now, so of course I'll want to be here."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks."

"I'm hardly going to sugar coat life for you, kid. If you want sunshiny happiness, look somewhere else. The only sunshine from me requires sunblock. So I suggest you keep that in mind. You ask me an intelligent question and I'm going to assume you want an honest and intelligent answer."

Harry considered him.

"Some people don't like it." Hollen shrugged, snorting. "They believe there's a little too much truth that can be told. That someone won't have the maturity to understand the full truth. That you have to protect people from honesty." He sneered, brows going up. "Fuck that, as far as I'm concerned. Life is a series of decisions and consequences. If you make the decision to put enough thought into a question that I think its good enough to warrant an answer, you have to deal with what that answer is." He eyed Harry closely. "And so far, you've struck me as intelligent enough to get a blunt answer. So I suggest you not ask me something you really don't want the answer to. I have no patience for crap."

Harry nodded slowly. "All right." He shrugged a little. "Not that I can even think of anything I might ask that I wouldn't really want an answer to."

Hollen gave him a measuring look. "Really? Nothing at all?"

"Nothing comes to mind… But, I mean, that's right now. I know there's plenty of stuff that I actually wouldn't be asking about right now, just because I don't want to know."

"Glad you recognize that."

"I'm not completely retarded." After a few moments Harry flexed his fingers and wriggled them a little. The numbness had faded into unpleasant tingles, and even those were beginning to fade. He watched Hollen from beneath his lashes. The man was calm. His magic was ragged and worn at the edges and full of stress patterns, but in the three months since he'd met Hollen, Harry had come to recognize that as being Hollen's usual, calm state.

"I can tell you're staring at me," Hollen remarked, looking over.

"Can I ask you something?" Harry asked, looking down at his hand. "It might be a little personal. I'm not sure, really."

"Ask."

"Well. I've gotten used to other instructors helping and teaching me things, so that's nothing new. And my Pottery Aurors would keep an eye on things with them. But with you… I've noticed with you that they seem… They don't ever seem to take their eyes off of you. And I've gotten pretty used to reading them, knowing when they're on alert and when they're likely to tell me to get down or do something, so I've noticed that they seem slightly tense with you. Always. And we're practically into February already, so it's been about a month and a half since we started working together, let alone how long we knew each other before that."

"Was there a question in there?"

Harry looked up through his bangs. "Implied. I'm curious why they're like that. I'm pretty sure I'm not imagining it."

"Only pretty sure?"

"Okay, fine. I'm definitely sure. Do you know why they're like that?"

"Yes."

Harry waited a few moments and then rolled his eyes slightly. "Why are they like that?"

Hollen considered him. "You know, I'm actually kind of surprised that they haven't said something to you about it. Vaguely, at the very least."

"They haven't."

"Yes, I've gathered that."

"So, will you tell me? I almost keep expecting you to, like, split in half and become an alien or something."

Hollen lifted a brow. "What?"

"Um, forget that. Too much science fiction. But no, really, what's up with that?"

"Hm." Hollen stretched out his legs and leaned forward, reaching to curl his hands around his feet. After a handful of moments he sat up and leaned back on his hands.

"Hollen?" Harry ventured after nearly half a minute.

"Very well," Hollen said quietly. "Not too long ago, I went out of the country on an assignment, undercover, observing from a distance. But the group I was investigating learned that I was there and managed to catch me off guard, capturing me when I tried to leave the area. They wanted to know what I was doing there and why, and they weren't very polite. It was three weeks before I had a chance to get away." He eyed Harry for a moment and then continued casually, "Bad guys never play nice, kid. Especially not the kind I'm sent after. I'll spare you the details except to say that torture is quite a lot worse than you'd ever imagine." His mouth quirked upward in something that was not quite amusement, but not entirely humorless. "You don't look as horrified by that as I'd expect."

Harry swallowed and pulled his knees loosely up to his chest. "Well. I've sort of spent some time in the closed case room. Not the classified stuff, obviously, but yeah…"

"Your watchers know about that?"

"Sort of. I mean, they do know I'm there, but they don't always pay attention to what I'm doing there. They sort of know, but they haven't bothered to catch me at it."

"I'm not really surprised." Hollen crossed his legs at the ankle and leaned back a little more, continuing just as casually. "I came back in rather bad shape all around. All of the appropriate steps were taken – leave time, psychologists, mind healers – but after I came back from the debriefing, de-stressing and, in general, getting myself unfucked, something inside just snapped one day. I don't know why, don't know how the professionals missed whatever was wrong, and I don't really remember what happened after I snapped. I woke up four days later cuffed to a bed."

"Oh…"

"Can't really say what happened after I woke up, either. I know they took me off duty for more intensive therapy and mind healing and the whole circus act. I was gone for a year before they decided that I was as put back together as possible. Not the way I'd been, though. They told me that I was like a glass put back together with glue. In one piece, but with tiny little cracks nearly invisible to the eye. In other words, fit to continue, but not what I once was." Hollen shrugged. "They didn't want to put me back on duty, but I snarled and snapped and made life hell for a lot of people until they took me off desk patrol. I was back to small stuff, baby assignments, things I could do in my sleep, but I didn't care. I was back in the field and I was able to work my way up again."

"So…"

"No more incidents. It's been over ten years now and I'm required to have a minimum of two psych evaluations a year and they tend to pull me off of field duty for several months at a time after every half a dozen assignments. People are still a little jumpy about me losing it, though." He bared his teeth in something resembling a smile. "I guess that's what happens when you try to gnaw someone's hand off and put four Aurors in the hospital."

Harry bit his lip a moment and then shifted to throw his arms around Hollen, making him start. Harry breathed, "That's so awful. And shame on everyone for acting like that."

"You get used to it," Hollen said a little oddly after a moment, hands resting a bit awkwardly on Harry's back.

"Shouldn't have to get used to it," Harry told him fiercely. "That's just not right. And whatever. The world's not fair. I don't care. That's just wrong and it's not your fault, and people shouldn't blame you for doing your damned job and getting repaid with a pile of shit."

"It's all right, kid," Hollen told him with a touch of amusement. "I'm not exactly treated like a plague-"

"I don't care. You shouldn't be treated like– like you're a dangerous animal about to lose it at any time. You're a great person."

"I wouldn't quite say that."

"I would. Okay, fine, you're pretty good at being a complete asshole when the mood strikes you, but you can be surprisingly nice at times, too. And I don't entirely blame you for being an asshole now that I hear that. It'd be even cooler if you'd direct the assholery somewhere else, of course."

Hollen snorted, patting Harry's back a little roughly. "You've got a lot of heart, kid. Even if you're a little delusional. I think maybe you're in the wrong business."

"I think I'm in the exact right business." Harry gave him an extra hard squeeze and then pulled back to settle again. "And you are, too."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Don't be silly."

Hollen studied him a few moments. "I think that's one of the best reactions I've ever gotten with that story. Especially since I think you almost get it, like another Auror would."

Harry gave him a smile. "Good."

"Not afraid of me at all?"

"You're being silly again. Not in a fun way, either."

Hollen smiled a little, amusedly bemused. "Not going to keep your hands far from my mouth, then, I take it?"

Harry snorted. "Please. I'm quite sure if you get it in your head to gnaw on my hands, the most I'll have to complain about is slobber." Harry shot him a look. "And believe me, I'd complain."


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: If you send them, I will respond. I'm not sure if anyone is really looking at the mass replies, but I don't mind responding individually to real questions and such. So go ahead and leave an email address if you're not signed in.

Betas: Hugs to them all. For they are awesome. (And I can no longer remember who helped with what chapters specifically *hangs head*)

AN: NEWSPAPER ARTICLES – If anyone wants to write a fanciful/ outrageous/ etc. newspaper article about Harry, I'm accepting those on my group. Some of them might even appear within the story.

Krimiel – you didn't leave me any way to contact you. Your reply is in my profile.

EDIT - Using the KKKKK... thing to try and break up scenes since apparently the line break lines aren't working. ffnet drives me a bit crazy sometimes.

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 32

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The small magical community was situated in a valley, almost entirely hidden by the towering mountains that crested on all sides. A river flowed from the north and twisted west across the ground, skirting the edge of the town.

Harry looked around at the modern yet quaint town that was a mixture of old shops, squat brick buildings, colonial American houses, cobblestone and brick streets and whatever else struck the fancy of the town's inhabitants. Past the river, the ground swelled in a gentle slope that wasn't quite a hill, and Harry's eyes were drawn to the buildings that called it home. The largest building that he could see looked like a rambling, Victorian mansion with oddly shaped buildings on either side set further back. Even in winter, with snow crunching underfoot and the surrounding forest a mix of evergreen and bare, stretching branches, the mansion and buildings around it were covered in vines, crawling over the stone, twisting around columns and over arches.

"Do you like it?"

Harry looked back. The speaker was leaning against the side of a building, bundled up and looking beyond Harry to the collection of buildings.

"Nice area," Harry answered as he looked around.

"Yeah." He looked just past Harry. "John! Hey. It's good to see you again." The man pushed away from the wall to shake hands effusively with John.

"Good to see you, too, Phil. It's been a while."

"You're the one that left!" Phil let out a hearty laugh, slapping John on the back.

John shrugged with a quirk of a smile. "For good reason. Speaking of, Phil, this is Harry Potter-"

"Call me Jamie," Harry interrupted.

Phil grinned. "So I will, Jamie Potter!"

"Jamie, this is Philip Demarcenu."

"The kids call me Professor D." He caught Harry's hand in a strong, friendly shake. "Good grip there."

"Thanks." Harry grinned. "Professor D. What do you teach?"

"Substitute, actually. I'm an SCA – school career advisor – but I can substitute for the lower level Transfiguration classes if need be."

"Cool."

"Definitely," Phil agreed with a grin.

"And this is Laney, Jamie's mom," John introduced. "And Suntree and Tony, the bodyguards slash friends of the family."

"Call me Phil," he said, shaking hands all around. "Great to meet you. Is everyone ready for a look around the town before we head to the school?"

Harry grinned. "Sure!"

Phil led them down one of the main streets, pointing out the sizeable bookstore, Novel Ideas, the stationary shop, Scribbles and Scraps, the Post Office that boasted non-magical and bird delivery, in addition to several pay phones and a couple of fireplaces, and other stores and services that students would be most likely to need.

"Of course, HI and HU – Hathorne Institute and Hathorne University," Phil explained at Laney's puzzled look, "both offer phone and Floo services for students. We don't offer bird delivery, but we do have an aviary for students wishing to house their own messenger birds, or if someone has a bird of prey pet that's not semi-domesticated."

"Jamie keeps snakes mainly," Tony put in.

"Ah. We allow snakes, of course, but we strongly recommend that you wait until you settle in, meet your roommate and discuss it with him before you bring in a pet snake. We actually recommend it for all pets, but with pets such as snakes, we stop just short of requiring it."

Harry nodded. "No problem."

Phil looked at Harry. "When you come, you plan on boarding, right?"

"Mmhm. Though I don't think I'll stay over for more than half the week."

"That's fine. We generally expect that any student with dorm space will be staying over at least three days a week, but we understand that there are special circumstances."

Harry nodded, working his hands into his pockets. "I'm good."

"Excellent. Now, this is Sumptor Lane, also known as Food Lane by the locals and the students. There's a small supermarket over there, bakery and sweet shop, a sub shop, about a dozen restaurants, the HSB, which stands for Hungry Student Buffet, and other stores and things related to food. This is Waldor Lane; it provides school things that aren't standard supplies, standard supplies being books, paper, pencils, folders, that sort of thing. Down here, you'll find your Botany equipment, anything you'd need for Life Skills, Divination, Technomancy, Magizoology, the list goes on. The majority of the textbooks, by the way, can only be found at Scribbles and Scraps. Hathorne puts together its own books specifically designed by the instructors. Reasonably priced, I promise."

"Yeah, Mr. John told us about all that."

"That's right. You'll have to forgive me if I tell you something you already know."

Harry shrugged. "No problem."

"Now, notice the street signs? Up to that point," Phil gestured ahead of them, "they're blue, and as you can see, they're green after that. The green streets are the regular part of the town. The blue streets are considered 'school streets' – you have those on this side of town and on the opposite side of the town where the University is – and in theory, everything you'd need for the majority of your visits to town can be found on the blue streets. You can go past them, of course; there're some interesting restaurants and stores in the regular town. But blue streets accept student IDs for discounts and green streets don't."

Harry nodded. "Got it."

"Right from your first year here, you can visit town during breaks or after school hours, before curfew. You have to have a signed permission form on file, of course. You have to get your visit approved by a teacher until you turn fourteen, and then you just have to sign out in the front office. And don't forget to sign in when you come back. Students are allowed to take meals off of campus, but if you do it on a daily basis, we start to request receipts randomly, just to make sure. Can't let students starve themselves or eat a bunch of a junk on our watch, after all. Parents generally frown on that."

"Not a problem," Tony said with a grin. "Jamie's a bit of a health nut."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

Phil laughed. "Anyway, down this street you can find clothes and shoes and other clothing needs. There's also a salon or barber or whatever you want to call it. Down this street, you'll find your magical necessities and entertainments, like the apothecary, ritual components, live plant clippings, magical games, sports and hobbies, so forth. Be aware that all spell, ritual and potion supplies must be purchased with your student ID, and all purchases are logged." He grinned. "We staff have to keep an eye on what's going on, after all."

"Sensible policy," Laney remarked with obvious approval.

"Hear that, kid?" Tony nudged Harry. "No illegal potion brewing in your room."

"Aw, shucks. Now what am I going to do with myself?"

Suntree rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you'll think of something. And you're spending entirely too much time with Green."

Harry grinned.

"Out of the student blue," Phil continued, gesturing to the green street signs as they approached them, "you'll find that it's not so nicely organized. You'll get a town map with your orientation package, but there're less than twenty streets and it's not that hard to figure out where the most important things are. There's a movie house down there; it's not a movie theatre, it's more like a large room with comfortable couches and chairs and an extremely large television with surrounding speakers. They only show movies that are out on video, not anything actually playing in real theatres, but there's something to be said for the atmosphere, not to mention the food."

"Jamie's likely to be more interested in the auditorium, actually." John pointed to a building with a domed roof. "A lot of plays and concerts are put on by the University, and there's a wide range of exhibits there throughout the year. We also get a professional play or concert in here occasionally."

Phil nodded. "We have the auditorium at the school for HI student activities. We have guest speakers come in every other week or so to talk about some aspect of magical study or culture. The University has their share of guest speakers, too, usually on the nights when we don't. Our students can attend those with a teacher's approval." He looked to Harry with a grin. "That's not the entire town, of course, but we'll let you explore at your leisure. So, are you ready to visit the school?"

"Totally!"

There were laughs as the group turned around. Phil pointed out a few more interesting things and answered questions about the town and activities around the town as they made their way back the way they'd come. Outside of the town, there was a small dirt road that led right up to the large double doors of the mansion. The not quite a hill was steep enough that steps had been carved into the ground to either side of the road, but the road rose gently well before the steps, creating an easy-to-walk path.

"Over there is our practice field," Phil told them, pointing to an area in the distance on the opposite side of the river that ran along the right side of the school. "That's where you'll find Quidditch, Quodpot, track and field and other outside sports. The building next to the field is for indoor sports, the arena for magical games and Defense class duels, the locker rooms, equipment, etcetera. The building behind the first is the garage and the various work rooms and classrooms for Life Skills classes, plus some empty space just in case it's needed. I won't drag you over there for this pre-orientation orientation unless you really want to see it."

Harry eyed John out of the corner of his eye. He was walking well, but he was using the cane a little heavily. "Nah. Some other time when it's not as cold."

"Here we are then. The building you see to your right, single story with the large garden courtyard, that's the cafeteria. It's set up like a fairly typical high school cafeteria with several different food stations, like a pizza counter, Asian counter, salad bar, a few other regular food stations and a special station that changes every day or two. And just like everything else here, all of the meals are covered under the tuition, no extra charges."

"Is there a number of meals a day limit?" Harry asked curiously. "Not that I foresee eating eight times a day, but I do snack."

"No, no limit. At least, no limit in theory, but we're not about to let our students eat all day or stuff themselves sick at every meal."

"No, of course not," Harry agreed.

"So all of the meals are covered here at the school. There's seating inside and outside in the courtyard; you're allowed to eat anywhere on the grounds, actually, and you can bring food back to your dorm until you give the elves a cause to complain. We do, however, frown on food being brought into the main building and the other school buildings. As for mealtimes, the cafeteria serving hours are posted on the doors of the building, and that's when all of the food stations are open, but between the curfew hours there are one or two stations open for snacking purposes."

"Would the salad bar happen to be one of those open all the time for snacking?"

Phil nodded. "We do try to encourage healthy eating."

"Great."

Phil chuckled. "Now, the three story building to your left, the one with the irregular and oddly spaced balconies and the garden courtyard, that's the dorm building."

"I've heard a bit about that building," Harry said with a grin. "Mr. John told me that the dorm floors were trippy."

Phil looked over at John, who grinned unrepentantly. "I bet he did say that," Phil said with a grin of his own, looking back to Harry. "The dorm building is just one building, by the way, even though the design makes it look like two. And yes, the floors are trippy. The floors in the dorm rooms themselves are normal, but the hallways are sort of like a series of rolling hills, little slopes, gently rising and falling. And something not widely known or easily noticeable is that no two dorm rooms are on the exact same level."

"Yes, John has said that," Laney put in with a faint frown. "But I've never understood what he meant."

"I've tried-"

"I know you've tried to explain, John," Laney assured. "But your explanations were just as confusing."

Phil snorted a little, glancing over at John. John shrugged. "Well…" Phil rubbed his chin. "Imagine you have a dozen books and you lay them down on a table in a rectangle, all on the table, not stacked. Chances are, none of the books will be the exact same height, even if they look really close, so you have a vaguely level surface, but each individual book is occupying its own level. See what I mean?"

"Ah. That makes more sense. Go on."

"Well, there're three main reasons for the oddity of the dorm building. We like to think it helps remind the students to remain flexible and think and see things in different ways here at Hathorne. And perhaps it does help. It certainly does add to the quirky atmosphere. But really, there are two very practical reasons for the design: it plays a vital role in the security of the building, though I can't go into detail, and the design limits the expansion of the rooms with space layering." Phil looked back to Harry. "I expect you know about the space layering rule?"

Harry nodded eagerly. "Students are allowed to expand their dorm rooms with space layering."

"Yes. Around Level Four, the teachers begin to cover the basics of space layering in classes, but students have to take the initiative to look up the advanced theory and put in the practice to learn it. Students can get help from a teacher or tutor, but no one should be teaching a student the charms. Before a student is allowed to attempt it on their dorm, they have to give a demonstration of the ability to a staff member."

"You're also allowed to use magic to modify the room in other ways," John put in, grinning over at Harry. "Conjuring, enlarging, shrinking, color changing, etcetera."

"Keeping in mind, of course, that you do have a roommate and you have to agree on what you're doing to your shared room," Phil said sternly.

Harry nodded. "Of course."

"The ability to modify is a big thing. The dorms are relatively simple rooms before they're adjusted: two beds, two plain desks, two plain dressers, two plain bookshelves. The bathroom is attached and already expanded. We learned quickly that it was just better to give that luxury than have children try to adjust space around plumbing," Phil explained dryly. "There're two closets off of the bathroom. The bathing area and the toilet are separate from the section of the bathroom that gives you access to the closets, so that's not a problem."

Harry nodded a little distractedly, gazing up at the mansion as they approached the shallow stone steps. The steps led up to a brief stone yard, and from there, several more shallow stone steps led up to the large double doors. The door opened with a light touch and Phil beckoned them inside a large, airy foyer. There were a couple of students sitting on one of the ornate double staircase across from the entrance doors, but they barely gave the group a second glance before going back to the book open between them.

Between the two staircases, the expansive foyer became a large hallway that stretched back to the opposite side of the mansion, opening up in another large, airy foyer and another set of ornate double doors.

Phil pointed in that direction. "Down that hallway, to either side, are the infirmary and the healer classrooms and workshops. And as you can see from here, you have two large hallways off of the entry. To the left are the non-magical classrooms, things like history, mathematics, etiquette, law and so forth. To the right is the administrative wing; this is where the front office is located, records, all staff offices, teachers' lounge, career advisors, and other things. This is just the first floor, mind you; the other floors have different things."

"I thought the professors had offices connected to their classrooms?" Harry asked, following Phil down the right hallway.

"They do. But they're small offices, you see, the ones in the classrooms. It's a handy space for a student conference during class and a secure place to keep papers to be graded or handed back. But the real offices are down there, larger, more comfortable, more secure. That's where the real records are kept, saved papers and projects, a professor's personal library, their own research, and that's where students can always leave a note or pick up something from the teacher, even if the teacher isn't there."

Ahead of them, a girl a little older than Harry dashed out of an office and almost ran into Tony. She gave a start, then grinned. "Sorry! Late for TAM!"

"Slow down, Catta!" Phil called out after her. "Don't run!"

She waved but didn't slow.

"TAM?" Laney asked, drawing Phil's attention back to them.

"Theory and Application of Magic." He shrugged. "It's one of the year-long required classes. You study the theories behind magic itself, not magical theories, like the origin of magic and nature of magic, and it covers the applications of magic, how you use magic, how people interact with magic, how magic interacts with magic outside of a person's willing it to do something."

Harry grinned. "That sounds awesome!"

"Better you than me, kid," Laney said, ruffling Harry's hair. "Personally, I think it sounds like a lot of work. Something I wouldn't mind sitting in on, but definitely not something I'd want to do homework for."

"You could, if you wanted." Phil nodded at her surprised look. "Yeah, we have guests sit in on classes occasionally. We encourage parents to take an interest in what their child is doing here." He grinned. "But not too much of an interest."

Laney laughed. "Understandable. I must admit, that's one of the selling points for Hathorne, being able to stay involved in what Jamie's doing. And while I don't need to have Jamie home every night, but being able to see him every week is nice."

Phil nodded. "The school was founded, as you likely know at this point, as a symbol for the wealthy and influential. In time, other students attended, students with less money, less influence, but very intelligent, and that's when the shift began. But the school had policies in place for the first students, visiting home often, parent involvement, so forth, and we've never had a reason to change the way we do things."

"If I recall correctly, there are three other schools in the US that operate the same way, and at least one in Canada," John said after a moment of thought.

"Yes."

Phil looked over at Suntree, surprised and curious.

"Don't bother wondering how he knows that," Harry said with a snicker. "It's a Suntree thing. He just knows stuff. He's great at my homework. Helping, that is, not doing; he's great at helping me with my homework…" Harry trailed off, following Phil down a side hallway. Doors with mail slots and professors names lined both sides of the hallway, and each had a large window to one side. Harry was intrigued by the window displays; they ranged from classical art to quotes and photos to intricate models of dragons to an entire Quidditch display, complete with playing model figures, whizzing balls and a flashing scoreboard.

Phil turned his attention from Harry's wide eyed staring with a bit of a snicker, looking to Suntree. "Photographic memory or something?"

"Or something," Suntree answered mildly.

"That's a Suntree thing, too." Harry said, pulling his attention away from a window covered in trailing vines to roll his eyes. "He'll evaporate away if he actually gives us a real answer."

"Interesting." Phil shook his head with amusement. "Anyway." He gestured to the ceiling. "There're two floors above us. The second floor is mainly magical theory and discussion; very little actual magic is practiced. Those are classes like Theory and Application of Magic, Ethics and Magical Intent. There may be demonstrations by the instructors or guest speakers – we have a lot of those – but the students do little magic. The third floor-"

"And that's the entire second floor?" Harry asked. "Sorry, not to interrupt, but this is a big building."

Phil chuckled. "Yes, it's the entire second floor. And the third floor has most of the magical classes with a practical component, classes such as Charms, Transfiguration and Defense. That said, a significant portion of the second and third floor houses the main library of Hathorne, not to mention the student resource center; they're both open twenty-four hours a day, by the way. And it may not sound like much, but the library takes up a fifth of each floor, easily."

Harry perked up, "Two floors? Mr. John tells me you have an _amazing_ library."

"That we do," Phil answered with grin. "We have a lot of professors who just teach a couple Levels of a subject and spend the rest of their time doing research. We also have a lot of alumni who go on to write books or be involved in projects that produce articles or papers, and many of them send us their work. And in recent years, we've started to keep some of the spillover from Hathorne University's library."

"Hathorne has a very decent restricted section, as well," John put in. "The students have access to the general restricted section. Level Six and Seven students gain access to it as a matter of course, and younger Levels can get access by way of a permission slip from a teacher, either admitting them to a certain section or just a general access pass for a single visit or specific amount of time or whatever."

"The other section is the faculty restricted section," Phil explained before Harry could ask. "We have the area restricted to faculty, but in rare cases, students can get a permission slip to see a specific book or to research a specific topic."

"Ah. Oh, but wait. Where's the auditorium?" Harry gave Phil a puzzled look. "I thought I heard from Mr. John that it's in the main building…"

Phil nodded. "Basement level. We actually have several auditoriums. There's the large auditorium; that one is large enough to fit the entire student body, the faculty and other staff, as well as a large number of guests. And- hold on a second. I need to grab a folder." They turned a corner and Phil stopped at the first door on the right, opening the door with an ID card; the window beside the door displayed wind chimes made from bent silverware and a large jar of bouncy balls.

"I like your wind chimes," Harry told Phil with a grin when Phil emerged from his office with a folder.

Phil chuckled. "We make those in Transfiguration, believe it or not."

"Really? What were they before?"

Phil half smirked. "Silverware."

Harry waited a few seconds to see if Phil said anything more, but he didn't. "So how is that something covered in Transfiguration and not Charms?"

Phil grinned. "It's actually something covered in both classes to make a point about how hard it is to classify magic. There are so many things that can be accomplished with more than one classification of magic, and so many things that require magic that falls into a gray area of two classifications. We don't like labels here at Hathorne; they just get in the way."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah… Yeah, I can see that. I don't really like labels either."

"Good. That'll serve you well here." Phil tucked the folder under his arm. "I'll be dropping this off when we visit the Sciences building," he explained. "So, on that note, I think it's time to see the grounds and what else we have here, and then we'll come back and take a closer look at this building." He winked. "I have a feeling we'll be spending a little extra time in the library."

Harry grinned. "That would be awesome."

"If you're going out on the grounds again, I'm going to stay here and visit a couple of people," John remarked. "It's too cold out for me."

Phil considered him. "You seem to be managing quite well, given the weather."

John smiled a little. "We've found an alternate approach to dealing with the lingering curse. A rather unusual one. It's worked better than anything they've tried for years."

"Good! You deserve a break. And you'll definitely want to stay here until we get back. We're going to visit the cafeteria, one of the unexpanded dorms, the Sciences building and just wander the grounds a little."

"Then I'll stay inside and catch up with some people." John gave Harry an amused look. "You-"

"Oi, I'll behave."

"Don't perform the impossible, no miracles, no saving the world. Take the day off."

Harry laughed. "Yes sir! I'll assume my unassuming alter identity of-"

Tony sniggered. "There are no words- _unassuming_?"

Harry gave him a mock-hurt look. "I can do unassuming."

"On what planet?"

"Okay, fine." He huffed. "I'll assume my ordinary-"

"No."

"Not you, too," Harry complained, giving Suntree a look.

"You and ordinary haven't been well acquainted for years. You ought to leave ordinary out of your crazy schemes. Ordinary deserves better."

"Whatever. Fine. I'll assume my less completely cool awesome fabulous alter identity. Happy now?"

"Wow." Phil's mouth twitched up in a smile. "All of that _and humble_? Surely you're too good to be true."

Harry threw his hands up. "I give up! I won't save the world!" He put his hands on his hips. "But I make no promises about world peace."

"Fair enough." John ruffled his hair. "Have fun."

"A given."

"We ready to continue?" Phil asked, continuing to study Harry with an amused, thoughtful expression.

"Mmhm." Harry watched John head down a side hallway for a few seconds before turning to Phil. "Onward! Oh, and you were talking about the basement auditoriums. I don't know if you were done with that topic."

"Well, we have three. Down this hall here; it'll take us to the nearest exit. But the auditoriums – the large one is designed for mass assemblies and large scale entertainments. We host concerts, plays, performances, other things of that nature. Then we have an auditorium half the size of the large one, and a third one that's smaller. The rest of the space is backstage or storage. And, oh, the tunnels."

Laney gave him a look. "Tunnels?"

"Yes. There are several reasons for the tunnels. For one, because all of our buildings are separate, we need a way to get around in inclement weather…" He pushed open a set of double doors and led them down a well worn path. "You see that building in the distance?" He pointed to a large building that appeared to have been built right over a river.

"That's our Sciences building," he continued, "that covers chemistry, physics, biology, earth sciences, all of those typically non-magical science classes, though of course we look at those subjects from an integrated magical and non-magical view. And then there're the various forms of Potions, regular, experimental, special courses, as well as the basics of Alchemy, and a few other special courses that aren't always offered." He grinned at the group. "And yes, that building does have a river below it, going right through the center. It's actually pretty interesting. There's a glass walkway inside where you can watch the river moving beneath your feet, and a small room in the center that gives access to the river."

Harry stared at the building. "Now _that_ is awesome."

Phil laughed, looking pleased. "So we have all of the buildings connected by tunnels at the basement level. Like I said, inclement weather, especially in the winter, often makes the tunnels not only convenient, but necessary. The tunnels reach every building on campus, but the physical education classes are usually cancelled; we prefer that the students stay closer to the main buildings on those days. But the tunnels are also invaluable…" Phil trailed off with a sudden grin. "I notice you didn't ask about the library," he said, looking at Harry. "I'm sure you know that we have student curfews, but I notice you didn't ask how the library can be open all the time if there are student curfews."

"I didn't even think of that," Harry said in surprise. "I mean, it would have occurred to me eventually, but no, I didn't even think about it when you brought it up."

"Maybe I ought to let you wonder for a while," Phil teased.

Harry gave him a knowing look. "We use the tunnels. You wouldn't have interrupted yourself with the library and the curfew if the tunnels didn't play some part in it all."

"You're quite right," Phil said approvingly. "We actually have two curfews here, by the way. There's the time that students have to be back on the campus itself, and then there's the time that students are supposed to restrict their activities to allowed areas. So yes, that's one of the important tunnel uses. The library is one of the allowed areas, as is the infirmary, and any place a student isn't allowed, the entrance to that tunnel is locked and monitored."

Harry grinned. "That's so awesome."

"And," Phil continued, seeing Laney's uncertain look, "the tunnels are just like hallways, wide and brightly lit. And the tunnels are lined with portraits that make sure nothing untoward happens. We also keep it rather cold down there to discourage lingering."

Laney nodded.

Suntree pointed to two tall buildings some distance away. They were on either side of the river, and there was a bridge connecting the two buildings by way of the roof. "What are those buildings?"

"Botany, Magizoology and Astronomy are the main classes for those buildings. Or rather, I should say that those are the main permanent classes for those buildings. There're also classrooms for certain sections of the other classes, such as when Atypical Magic covers druid and tribal magic."

"The classes you offer…" Laney murmured.

"We do have the most choices of any school in America," Phil said with obvious pride. "And we also have some of the most flexible class scheduling. There're a lot of classes that it doesn't matter when you take them, just as long as you take them, though you may have to have taken certain other classes before you can qualify for a class."

"Level doesn't matter either, right?" Harry asked.

"No, it doesn't necessary matter what Level you're in. Most of our students coming in at Level One are going to be taking at least one Level Two class just because they're better at the subject, they've learned more about it before coming here, or whatever other reason they may have. Actually, a fair number of our students are coming to us straight from tutors-" Harry grinned at this, "-and that puts them at various levels of experience and knowledge. If a student is performing at a higher level, we teach them at that level."

"I'm just glad there aren't any robes," Harry said, watching a group of students walk by, bundled up in pants and cloaks or jackets.

"Nope, there's none of that here." Phil steered them onto the path that led to the cafeteria building as another group of students hurried past them, making their way down another path that led to the large lake behind the main building. "A fair number of secondary magical schools don't require uniforms, and more than a few have strict uniform requirements, but we wanted to try a sort of middle ground and go with something kind of casual but dressy. Did you get the information on the required dress?"

"We received that," Suntree answered.

"Nice slacks, a button down shirt and tie," Harry put in. "Skirts and slacks for girls, of course." He mock pouted. "Sunny says that even though it doesn't specify girls in the official documents we were sent, that doesn't mean I'm allowed to wear a skirt."

Suntree gave Harry a mild look. "As if you'd want to."

"It could be interesting," Harry defended. "It'd certainly be very breezy."

"And yet you twitch at the thought of wearing robes."

"Duh. I'm anti-establishment."

"Do you even know what that means?"

"Not remotely." Harry grinned. "I'm kidding, of course. I looked it up and memorized the definition, just waiting for this day to come."

"The day when you could use anti-establishment in a sentence?"

"Yep!"

Suntree looked over to Phil. "Are you sure you want him?"

Phil chuckled. "What'll you do with him if I say no?"

"Probably have to take him back to the pound," Suntree said with a heavy sigh. "The poor thing."

Phil laughed. "Then I suppose I best say I'm still sure we want him."

"You two are so funny, I totally forgot to laugh," Harry grumbled.

Suntree laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Well, he's quite right on the uniform. And the tie is usually most young men's favorite part of the uniform. As long as it doesn't make noise or display something distracting or inappropriate, you're allowed to wear any tie you please."

"What about non-uniform clothes?" Harry asked curiously.

"You can wear what you like before breakfast, after dinner, and on the weekends, even if you have a class – unless instructed otherwise, of course. Now granted, it has to be appropriate, but that still leaves a lot of options."

"When is breakfast and dinner?" Laney asked.

"Breakfast is from six to seven, with the earliest classes starting at seven, and dinner is from five thirty to seven. And you didn't ask, but lunch is from noon to two."

"So we're here during school hours, right?" Laney glanced around; there were several groups of students sitting on outside benches and walking along paths. "There seems to be a lot of students not in class right now."

Phil chuckled. "Like I said, students aren't restricted to taking classes in their own Level, so you don't have a traditional class schedule, where classes line up neatly on top of each other. It's much more like a college schedule than a high school schedule. Students take the classes they need, and we make the schedules based on student needs and teacher availability, so that leaves blocks of time between classes for every student, hence students walking about the campus during odd hours."

"Kids are wandering around the campus all the time, they can leave and visit the town whenever they want, they don't even have to show up for meals on a regular basis…" Laney shook her head, brow furrowed with worry. "How on earth do you keep track of the students, then? What if you need to reach them in an emergency? What if something happens to them?"

"Student ID cards," Phil answered promptly. "Students are required to carry their ID card with them everywhere. You can't buy anything in town without showing it, so there's no point in going to town without it, and it unlocks their dorm rooms, so you learn quickly not to forget it. It also logs every time a student walks off the campus property, you need it to gain access to the stables and the sporting area, and it registers when you enter a classroom to keep track of attendance.

"We may give the students a lot of freedom, Miss Featheridge-"

"Laney, please."

"Laney. But we are well aware of the fact that our students are adolescents, and no matter how intelligent or mature, they can't be left to do whatever they please, whenever they please."

"So I can't be sneaking off to take over the world whenever I please?" Harry asked with a dramatic huff. "That's just not fair."

Tony gave Harry's shoulders a friendly shake. "Sorry, kid, you have to finish school before you're allowed to try world domination."

Phil studied Harry with amusement. "I get the feeling that things are going to get rather interesting this upcoming year."

Harry gave them a cheeky smile. "I sure hope so. If they don't, I'm not doing my job."

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"You're going to boarding school?"

Harry snorted. "You sound so shocked. I have mentioned it before."

Brian shrugged. "Yeah, but… that's so weird. I mean, it's boarding school… I didn't even really think they had those in America."

Harry rolled his eyes and dropped the game controller. "I suck at this game."

"It's _Sonic the Hedgehog_!"

Harry rolled his eyes again and wriggled back into the beanbag chair. "I suck at it."

"You need to get it yourself. It's not as if you don't have the money for it."

"I wouldn't play it at home."

"But why? What on earth are you always doing?"

"A lot of stuff. Video games are fun for a few hours here and there, and arcades are a lot of fun, especially when you play air hockey and those ball toss games and the more interactive crap, but there's just so much more to do than just games…"

Brian crossed his arms. "Like?"

"Like… riding my bike, playing soccer with one of the family friends, exploring the woods behind my house, reading, skateboarding-"

"I'm surprised your mom didn't freak out about the skateboard. She's kind of overprotective…"

"Yeah, well, I guess she has her reasons."

"But hey," Brian nudged him with his foot, "why'd your mom mutter something about it at least being on the ground?"

"Eh." Harry pushed Brian's foot away from him. "You have holes in your socks."

Brian pulled his foot around to look at the bottom of his sock before shrugging. "So?"

"Just making an observation."

Brian shut off the game and slumped back into his own beanbag chair. "I bet its some sort of fancy place, isn't it? For geniuses or something."

"What?"

"That boarding school place. I bet its one of those special genius schools."

"It might be a bit of a special school," Harry said with a slightly ironic smile.

"It's going to be super weird going to junior high and high school without you…"

"It will be weird, yeah. I'd say I'll write you, but I know you; you don't write."

"Yeah…" Brian sighed. "It's going to be really weird…"

"Come on." Harry gave Brian's knee a slap. "Basketball?"

"Yeah? Sure." He rolled out of the beanbag chair and went to dig his basketball out of a box in the corner, tossing a baseball glove and a NERF football onto the floor. "Ready?"

"Shoes are downstairs; let's go." Harry hopped to his feet.

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"Hey, Laney, while Jamie's gone-" Tony stopped, catching Laney's expression. "Are you worried?"

Laney gave him a sour look, but said nothing.

Tony came the rest of the way into the office to drop his hands to her shoulders, giving them a squeeze and rub. "Is this about Jamie? Because he's fine."

"I know," Laney told him shortly.

Tony peered over her shoulder at the papers spread out on her desk. It looked like she was doing bills, and he knew enough to know that money was certainly no worry for her. "He's fine."

"I know."

"But you worry, right?" Tony asked, smiling a little. "You're exceptionally good at that."

Laney tipped her head back to give him another sour look. She aimlessly pushed several papers around on her desk. "I'm just worried about… what he's going to be seeing… and everything…"

"I understand. But you know Sunny won't put Jamie in a situation that-"

"Sunny's idea of a 'situation that' is sometimes a little skewed," Laney interrupted, rubbing her eyes. "But I know. He's protective of Jamie. Sometimes I get the feeling he's more protective than I am, in his own weird way."

"You may be right."

"I'm just… concerned. I wonder if this is a good thing for him."

"This is a situation like John's," Tony told her after a brief silence. "But Jamie actually has the opportunity to work with a curse affecting someone's magic before it has a chance to root itself. The very nature of what they want Jamie to do means that Jamie's not going to see anything horrible or someone on the verge of death or battered and bloody or anything like that. Jamie has to feel comfortable and at ease before he can do any good with his ability to influence magic."

"I know."

"I can assure you that the healers would never make a request unless they were absolutely sure that Jamie can help. At this point, it'd only harm him and his ability if he tried and failed at his first real hands on attempt to work with magic in this way. And not only is it something the healers are sure he can do, it's something extremely important; the Auror stands to lose his magic dominant arm if they don't pull that curse off of him, and if that happens…" Tony shook his head.

Laney sighed a little.

"And you know that this is something that Jamie enjoys," Tony told her a little dryly. "With all the stray dogs and cats he's taken care of over the years, those baby squirrels, that bird, the turtles-"

"Jamie goes out of his way to help anything in need," Laney interrupted with a snorting laugh. "Yes, I'm aware. And now that Green's around, it seems Jamie's ability to find creatures in distress has doubled. But at least Green has a knack for knowing how to send them back into the wild or finding good homes for them."

"So don't worry. He's not off in the middle of a fight somewhere; he's safe at the hospital doing little more than trying to untangle a curse from someone."

"You say that as if it's not dangerous."

"Not as dangerous as it could be."

Laney rubbed her eyes again. "What were you saying when you came in?"

"Oh, yes, that. While Jamie's gone and there's no chance of him overhearing this, I wanted to run an idea by you. Now, I know how you feel about Quidditch-"

"Oh, God."

"It's not so bad as all that," Tony said with a snort. "There's a Quidditch camp in New England that runs for three weeks, and one of the weeks happen to fall at the same time as Jamie's spring break. It's one of the better camps in the country and is run by pro and retired pro Quidditch players. They only take the best talent, usually kids that are seriously interested in playing pro Quidditch, though some of them are just very good and have the money to afford the camp-"

"So only the best talent that can afford it," Laney interrupted with a snort.

"No, they offer scholarship-type positions. Well, a little. The truth is, a lot of the best players, the ones that can afford to travel there and the ones most likely to know about the camp and be noticed by the camp, are from the wealthier section of society. Aside from knowing about the camp, the wealthier kids are also the ones most likely to have had private Quidditch training, and that makes them more likely to stand out and be noticed."

"And you want me to send Jamie?"

"I think he'd like it."

"You want me to send Jamie to a Quidditch camp," Laney said, her voice a little flat.

"You've really got to let go of this distrust you have for brooms. They're a heck of a lot safer than getting into a car every day."

"Spring break is just around the corner," Laney said, ignoring him. "I find it hard to believe that a great place like that has any room left."

"Normally they're filled up several weeks before spring break," Tony agreed. "But they've had a few last minute drops. They only take six teams worth of kids, and the kids have to be able to fill out a team, so you have to sign up to a specific position. There aren't any Seeker spots left, but Jamie's nearly as good at Chaser and there's a Beater spot still available."

"And you want me to consider letting him go."

"Yes. I think he'd really enjoy it. And because there're a lot of kids there from rich families, the security is very good, and we'd have no problem getting one of us on the security staff while he's there. I think it'd be a good place for him to finally be Harry Potter-"

"No," Laney interrupted. "He's not ready for that."

"Laney, he plays on a local dodge spell team as Jamie Potter, and it's pretty well accepted by his team and the adults. It's a miracle that it hasn't gotten out in all this time. But pretty soon, he's going to be going off to school. I think he needs-"

"This sounds like a 'we think he needs' conversation and you just happen to be the spokesman for the group."

"It is in a way, yes."

"You know, you people could let me in on these little discussions," Laney told him coolly, pushing his hands from her shoulders.

"The few times we've tried, you've grumbled about us ganging up on you," Tony told her dryly, moving to sprawl in the chair beside her desk.

Laney gave him a look.

"You do. It seems like the only thing that'd make you happy is us not having any opinions at all."

Laney frowned. "That's not true."

"Then don't act like every time we have an opinion, we're trying to gang up on you or tell you what to do. We're not. But sometimes an idea one of us has needs to be shared with the rest of the group to see if it's even feasible and what factors we need to take into account. That's our job."

"I guess you're right…" Laney pushed the papers to the back of her desk and sat back. "I just… I'm me."

"I know." Tony smiled a little. "Nothing wrong with that."

Laney shook her head. "So you want him to go off to this Quidditch camp."

"I don't want him to do anything; I just think he'd enjoy it."

"I have to think about this."

"All right…"

"I sense a 'but'."

"Well, there is something of a time limit on this. We need an answer by the end of the day. These last minute spots are almost impossible to get, but someone in our AT department-"

"I'm not Jamie," Laney interrupted. "I'm not 'hip to the lingo', as Jamie has recently started to say. Where the heck did that come from, anyway?"

Tony laughed. "Someone he met during one of his visits to the USAS said it to him when Jamie started talking like an Auror. He said Jamie was 'hip to the lingo' and Jamie's been obsessed with that phrase ever since."

Laney groaned. "Right, whatever. Anyway, AT department?"

"Air Transportation Department. They deal with our brooms, carpets, windboards, all of that, for maintenance, upgrades, customization, etcetera."

"Right. Go on."

"What was I saying?"

Laney stared at him. "Um. I don't know. You were the one saying it. Something about your AT department, obviously, and Jamie going to this camp."

"Ah, yes. Someone in our AT department knows someone else at the camp and the camp has agreed to hold the spots until the end of the day, but after that, they'll disappear."

"Then why didn't anyone talk to me about this earlier?"

"We only learned about it yesterday, late afternoon. We discussed it and now here I am. It's not even lunch time yet, so you have a nice portion of the day to think about it."

"To worry about it," Laney muttered.

Tony studied her with amusement. "It's like fuel, isn't it? You're like a car and you run on worry. You must, with how often you do it."

"Funny. Ha ha."

"Laney, relax. Seriously. He's only going to get older and more involved in things, and one day he's going to be an Auror and-"

"He might not."

Tony shook his head. "Oh? Mr. Save the World, hip to the lingo? The one who's already technically working for the USAS as a snake-talker? He's not going to become an Auror?"

"He could become a Healer," Laney told him stubbornly. "It's helping people, saving the world. He's hip to their lingo. He's practically working for them. He's there right now."

"He could," Tony agreed, but not with any meaning.

"He could."

"He won't, though. His ability at healing doesn't extend much beyond his ability to work with magic. It's a rare thing he does, and I know any magical institution of medicine in the world would welcome him, but it's not who he is. He'd rather be out there fighting the bad guys, not patching up the people who fight the bad guys."

Laney picked up a pencil and fiddled with it. She gave a start and dropped it when it suddenly sharpened itself and the shaving poofed away.

"Stealing Jamie's school supplies again?" Tony teased.

"It was just sitting on the counter out there." Laney nudged the pencil away. "Looking all innocent and normal."

"It is Jamie's pencil," Tony pointed out.

"Ha ha." Laney picked up the pencil again, only to toss it back down. "I'll think about the Quidditch thing."

Tony studied her closely. Her hazel eyes were darker than usual and she sat with a faint slump. "Come on." Tony stood up. "You look like you could do with some lunch."

Laney gave him a doubtful look. "If you think I'm going to eat anything you fix-"

"I'm taking you out. My treat. Lunch."

"I'm not dressed to go out."

Tony came over to drop his hands to her shoulders again. "And your bedroom is less than twenty feet away."

"But Jamie might come home."

"Jamie's a big boy who'll be accompanied by an even bigger Auror-"

"Don't tease me," Laney muttered.

"He'll be fine."

"But I have to think about this Quidditch thing," Laney protested.

"That's what I'm afraid of. By think, you mean worry, and by worry, you mean brood, and no good will come of that. So come on, let's go out. It could be fun, even if I'm not one of the girls. That means no manicures while we're out. Jamie might like them, but I assure you that I'm actually a guy and there's no chance that someone's going to be messing about with my nails."

"Aw, no spa day with Tony?"

"No."

"And Jamie would send you head over heels onto your butt if he heard you imply he's not a guy."

"And that's why, most wonderful woman in the world, we'll never speak of that again."

Laney pushed his hands away with a snort. "Fine, we can go out." She got up.

"Any idea how long you'll be?"

"However long I am."

"Ah. I'll just, uh, go start a novel or something."

"You do that."

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Harry looked over the extensive campground, near to bursting with excitement. There were people scurrying in every direction, adults doing important adult things, adults talking to kids, kids clustered about in groups, kids standing on their own clutching bags and luggage, looking wide-eyed and uncomfortable. Harry caught a glimpse of Tony and several other uniformed Aurors walking the grounds in serious discussion.

Beyond the front gates of the camp and the frenzied activity, the camp stretched out too far to see all at once. The cabins looked modern and stylishly rustic; the common buildings were all decorated with murals of Quidditch games, and in the distance, Harry could make out at least three standard sized Quidditch pitches.

It looked like heaven to him, and he'd be there for a whole week.

"You're in my way."

Harry turned, an apology on his lips, but he bit it back when he realized he was looking at a sneer on a boy about his age. Harry took a step back to take a good look at him. He was tan and lean, with brown hair and brown eyes, and he was holding himself with stiff arrogance, wearing the modified robes that some of the old traditional, moneyed types wore – open down the front and worn over slacks and a shirt like one would wear a long coat. The clothes were top quality, as far as Harry could tell, but seemed a little too formal for the occasion. Harry refrained from rolling his eyes.

Harry realized the boy was smirking at him in a smug, annoying way, arms crossed over his chest, looking even more superior. It dawned on him that taking a step back had probably made him look like he was backing away and he sighed to himself, but outwardly raised an eyebrow and waited for the other to speak.

"Well?" the boy said at last.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Well what?"

"You're in my way," the boy repeated slowly.

"Ohhh." Harry nodded with mock understanding. "I can totally see how I'd be in your way, yes, completely inconveniencing you beyond all reasonable expectation." Harry glanced around. "The fact that there's roughly three yards of empty space to either side of me is obviously a complete non-issue, as is your obvious inability to walk in anything other than a straight line, hence my needing to move out of your way. You should wear a sign. It'd help." Harry stepped out of the way with a mocking flourish. "Do continue on your way, good, unfortunate sir."

The boy flushed in anger and embarrassment. Harry was disgusted to realize that it made the idiot more attractive. "How dare you talk to me in such a way!"

"Wow…" Harry shook his head. "I had no idea people really talked like that."

The boy drew in a sharp breath, looking completely affronted, and then the sneer came back full force. As if drawn by some sort of special idiot signal, a couple of other boys wearing just about the same thing as the first joined them, looks of sneering distaste on their faces.

"Who's this, Ambrose?" the one on the right asked.

Harry's brows went up. "Seriously? Ambrose? That's your name?"

Ambrose made a noise of contempt. "I don't expect someone like you to understand."

"Why are you even talking to him, Ambrose?" the one on the left asked. "He's obviously a no one."

"He was in my way."

"No, totally," Harry put in, "Ambrose is a really cool name. Seriously, I like it." He winced a little. "Too bad it's attached to you."

The boy flushed even more. "How-"

"Dare I? Yeah, been there, done that. Next?"

The two boys to either side of Ambrose exchanged a look. "Obviously he's here on scholarship," the one on the right said, the word 'scholarship' sounding like a filthy word in his mouth. "You can't expect people like that to know how to behave."

Harry hooked his thumbs into the belt loops of his jeans. "Yep, that's me, the wild animal. Rar."

The three of them gave him a look like they'd just scraped something nasty off of the bottom of their shoe. "Get out of our way," Ambrose said after a suitable dirty look pause.

Harry considered them before shrugging. "Just walk around me, Three Stooges. I ain't moving for you."

The boy on the right twitched and Ambrose held out a stilling hand. "Don't bother, Montgomery. He's not worth the effort."

"Montgomery?" Harry considered that. "Not that bad of a name. Not as awesome as Ambrose, granted, but easier to shorten. _Monty_." Harry grinned a little as Montgomery twitched. "Tell me, is the sneer a part of the name, or is that just extra? Do you have to learn that, or does it just come natural? Are there classes? Is it-?"

"Listen, charity case-"

"And you are?" Harry interrupted.

The one on the left sniffed. "Alastair Benninton Cauldenwell." He gave Harry a superior smile. "The third."

"Wow… The third? That's a hell of a name to slap on a kid. What the hell do your friends call you?"

"Alastair, of course."

"Not Al? Stair? Ally? Air? Benny?" Harry stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You look like a Benny."

Alastair flushed. Harry was pleased to see it didn't make him attractive. "You listen to me-"

"Bananas," Harry interrupted.

They all looked a little taken aback. "What?" Ambrose asked at last.

"Bananas," Harry repeated.

"What does that mean?"

"What does the orange think of the llama?"

Montgomery shook his head. "What?"

"Exactly," Harry told them. "Exactly my point. So don't start, okay? Just thank Suntree for the lunacy interlude and walk around me like a normal person."

The three boys exchanged confused looks that changed to sneers after a few moments. Harry considered just walking away once they looked back to him and gave him an up an down look that seemed to measure him from his socks they couldn't see to his plain sports glasses, but he wasn't the least bit intimidated and he didn't want to give them that impression.

Their looks turned contemptuous and superior as they seemed to draw some sort of conclusion from Harry's scuffed sneakers, worn jeans and faded T-shirt. Harry had drawn his own conclusion; he looked like comfortable and they looked like twits.

Harry jumped in as Montgomery started to open his mouth. "And by the way, there's nothing wrong with scholarships," he told them, crossing his arms. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with being here on a scholarship. A scholarship doesn't say 'scrape me off of the bottom of your boot'. A scholarship says that I've got real talent. It says that I've got enough talent that someone is _paying_ for me to be here. The only thing your sneer tells me is that your family has enough money and you have just enough talent to qualify for the camp, and even that last one's suspect; the camp needs money to run, after all."

"I guess we'll just see who has the talent to be here and who's just here on pity," Montgomery snapped. "And pity cases don't last long."

"Oh, we will," Harry told him with a bright smile. He uncrossed his arms and slipped his hands into his pockets. "You probably ought to run along now before you catch something from me. Like manners."

They pushed past him with matching sneers, careful not to touch him. Harry watched them go.

"That was _awesome_!"

Harry turned to see two boys hurrying over, dressed similarly to him, each carrying a duffel bag. They were grinning madly.

"I've never seen anyone stand up to those three!"

"They're going to find a way to get back at you!"

"They can try," Harry said dismissively.

"I'm John."

"Andrew."

"I'm Jamie." He held out his hand, and then coughed a little at the odd looks they gave him. "Sorry. I've, uh… been meeting adults all day. I take it you've been here before?"

Andrew nodded. "We were here last year."

"It's so much fun! Even if you have to put up with the spoiled, rich kids."

"Hey, want to room with us?"

"Yeah, sure." Harry slung his bag over his shoulder and took a moment to locate Tony – he was over by the gates studying the activity impassively, though he gave Harry a hint of a wink when he caught Harry's eye – before following them to the cabins. "Who were they, anyway?"

The question earned him more admiring looks. "_Alastair's_ dad is some sort of politician or something." Andrew made a face. "He's always going on about how important his dad is and everyone he's met and how his dad knows the President himself."

"And how his dad practically helps run the country," John added with an equally unimpressed look.

"What was his last name again?" Harry asked. "Cauldenwell, he said?"

Andrew nodded, distracted for a moment as he waved to a group of boys outside of a cabin.

"Cauldenwell…" Harry shook his head. "It sounds vaguely familiar, but I barely recognize it, so I don't think he's that important."

They both gave him strange looks.

Harry fiddled with the strap on his bag. "Some of my family is big into the whole politics thing, so I hear a lot of it at home," he said slowly.

"Oh. Sounds boring."

Harry shrugged. "What about the other two?"

"Ambrose doesn't talk about his parents as much, but apparently they're both really good lawyers or something like that. Never lost a case or something."

"For the government," Andrew added with a nod. "Here, this cabin's still empty."

They spent a few minutes sliding their name cards into the slots by the door – Harry's displayed only "Jamie" – before choosing beds. Harry found the cabin to be pretty comfortable, with an attached bathroom, air conditioning, two desks and four individual beds instead of bunk beds. He decided there was something to be said for the privileged lifestyle, as long as it didn't come with the privileged.

"And he thinks he's sooo great because he goes to _Hathorne_," John said once they'd decided on beds.

"Yeah." Andrew snorted. "Who'd want to go there, anyway? They're a bunch of spoiled know-it-alls."

Harry frowned and looked over at them. "I'm starting at Hathorne this year."

They stopped and shifted uncertainly.

"I mean," Harry continued after a stretching silence, "some of them do strike me as spoiled know-it-alls-"

"That's right!" Andrew nodded enthusiastically. "Some of them are spoiled know-it-alls. But of course, not everyone."

"Of course, not everyone," John parroted.

"I mean, anyone there on scholarship is bound to be nicer and-"

"I'm not there on scholarship."

"Oh." Andrew looked at John uncertainly and then back to Harry. "You're not?"

"You can have money and not act like a stuck up jerk," Harry said dryly.

"Oh, yeah…"

After several uncomfortable moments passed, Harry shrugged. "Well, that's what happens when you only meet the jerks of any given group of people. It's okay. I'm not really offended or anything."

"Cool."

"You must be really smart," John said after a moment of studying him. "If you're going to Hathorne."

Harry shrugged again.

"But, you know, you probably shouldn't say that a lot around here," Andrew told him, radiating earnest helpfulness. "There're a couple of other people here that go to Hathorne, but they don't talk about it much. It's, well, you know, full of spoiled, stuck-up, know-it-alls. A lot of people probably won't like you very much if they know. Amby-"

"Amby?" Harry interrupted with amusement.

"Ambrose is a dumb name."

"I actually think Ambrose is pretty cool," Harry said with a grin, going back to putting his clothes away in the dresser at the foot of his bed. "One of the few things I actually like about him. What's his last name, anyway?"

"Um…" Andrew and John exchanged a look.

"Well…" John sat down on his bed and started digging into his duffel bag for something. "He actually doesn't brag as much. I guess he isn't so bad, even if he makes me want to push him off of his broom. I don't really know his last name. I think it's something like Cantik or Cadic or-"

"Carrick?" Harry interrupted.

"Yeah, that's it! Hey, how'd you know that?"

Harry snorted. "I've met his parents. Fairly decent people. They work for the USAS."

They stared at him.

"Oh, um… a lot of my family works for the USAS. So, yeah, I meet a lot of people."

"Oh."

"What about Monty?" Harry plopped down on his bed to dig through the front pocket of his suitcase. "Montgomery?"

John and Andrew shared a disgusted look. "His uncle owns the camp."

"He's always threatening to have his uncle kick someone out if they make him mad," John added. "I heard from someone last year who heard from someone the year before who had a friend that-"

Harry snickered. "You heard from someone who heard from someone who had a friend?"

"Yeah. What?"

"Nothing, go on."

"Well, there was a girl that called him an idiot, didn't like him, hassled him some, you know, just did things to make him mad, and she had to pack up and leave halfway through the week without a word of explanation and she hasn't been back since." John shrugged a little. "I mean, maybe, you know, maybe he did say something and his uncle did something, and, well, no one wants to take the chance…"

"So you should be careful," Andrew warned seriously. "They're probably going to try and pick on you and stuff. You shouldn't really, you know, I mean, just- you don't want to get kicked out."

"I'm not really worried there," Harry told them confidentially, thinking of certain people's reactions the next morning when they'd do a camp roll call and assign people to teams. "Anyone want a Whistling Frisbee?" Harry pulled the bag of candy from the bottom of the pouch and held it up. "They're the tropical ones."

"Sure!"

They hurried over to dig into the bag and soon small candy Frisbee's were flying around the room, whistling as they changed color and flavor.

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"Let's sit over here." Harry brought his tray over to a table next to the windows, trailed by Andrew and John.

"This is kind of close to the jerks," Andrew said uncertainly, lingering at the edge of the table. "Actually, there aren't any other open tables by the windows…"

"Amby and his friends tend to sit next to the windows…" John half muttered, even as he slowly settled into a chair.

"It'll be fine." Harry pushed the chair across from him out with his foot. "Sit."

Andrew shrugged and sat down next to John.

"So how's this morning work exactly?" Harry asked as he lightly spread strawberry jam over his toast.

"After breakfast we gather in that main area outside," Andrew gestured out the window, "and the camp puts us into teams to be tested by some pros and there're some pros that go from team to team to see how everyone's playing."

"They like to see what position we're best suited for," John said around a mouthful of pancakes.

"A lot of people like the thought of being something, like being a Chaser, when they're actually a much better Beater or something." Andrew grinned a little self-consciously. "When I came the first time, I came as a Beater, but they put me playing Chaser right away."

"I know they only accept people in certain positions to keep the playing and training balanced," Harry remarked, stirring his oatmeal." If they move you to another position, how do they keep things balanced?"

"You'd be surprised how many changes they make."

"And at the end of the exercises, whoever they think is the most talented, they get the position they're best at," John put in. "I mean, we're all really good players, right? So most of us can play at least two positions without struggling too much."

Andrew made a face as Harry picked up his fork to cut into his eggs. "Oatmeal, eggs and toast?"

"Gotta have my protein and energy for today," Harry told him with a grin, taking a sip of his orange juice and giving his milk carton a tap to chill it until he opened it. "Anyway, sounds like it'd kind of suck if you signed up early enough to get the position you wanted, only to have it go to someone else."

Andrew nodded. "It does suck if you lose your position to someone else, but it certainly does make you want to try harder and be better."

Harry nodded. "I suppose I can see that. It's kind of like we're doing team tryouts."

John nodded agreement.

"Why are you sitting here?"

Harry looked up with a sweet smile. "Hello there! Monkey, wasn't it? No, Mongy. No, wait, sorry, _Monty_. Did you ask something?"

The boy bristled, flushing an unflattering motley of red.

"Oh, how rude of me," Harry continued with bright cheer. "Did you want to sit?"

"With you?" Alastair sneered. "You're sitting-"

"Excellent observation," Harry interrupted.

"I wasn't making an observation. I was-"

"I know you weren't. I was just trying to be helpful and stop you before you said something that'd really irritate me." Harry grinned slightly. "I can get very obnoxious when I'm irritated."

Ambrose opened his mouth, eyes narrowed.

Harry interrupted, pointing his fork at his watch and then at Ambrose. "We have thirty minutes before the assembly bell rings and I really just want to eat my protein and carbohydrates in peace to prepare for the day." He pointed his fork to the other end of the dining hall. "There's a table down there, and while it's not directly in front of a window, it does have the benefit of being far away from me, because I'm really not moving."

Alastair tensed, but Montgomery nudged him with a smirk as he put his tray down on the table, looking at Harry. Harry felt something tingling across his awareness, that sixth sense that warned him when a spell was about to come his way, and even as he felt that, Montgomery's almost pained look of intense concentration as he made an odd scooping motion with his hand gave him away. Harry decided not to block the magic or interrupt Montgomery's concentration; instead, he waited to see what would happen. He was rewarded with his oatmeal exploding out of his bowl and down his shirt.

Alastair snickered and crossed his arms with a superior look, nudging Montgomery approvingly. "Didn't anyone ever teach you proper manners," he sneered to Harry.

Montgomery added his own smirk. "This is why they shouldn't let his kind in," he said, sounding slightly unsteady but recovering swiftly. "They haven't the faintest idea of how to behave in polite company."

Harry refrained from rolling his eyes as he looked down at his oatmeal covered Fruit Loops t-shirt thoughtfully, putting his fork down.

"Really, peasant." Alastair clucked his tongue, drawing Harry's attention back up. "Well, unless you want to attend the assembly looking like you rolled straight out of the muck, you ought to go change."

"And you should remember that this is the sort of thing that happens when you sit down in places too good for you," Montgomery added, sounding fully recovered from his show of wandless magic.

"I really can't believe you just did that," Harry remarked, tugging on the collar of his shirt a little as he considered just what spells would salvage his breakfast.

Across from Harry, John and Andrew began to gather their things to stand. "Come on, Jamie," Andrew muttered. "With wandless magic like that, you can't prove anything."

"There's no point in saying anything to anyone about it," John added. "They'll just say you spilled it and no one will do anything."

Harry snorted and then gave in to the laugh that had been building from the start. "Wandless magic like that?" Harry half rolled his eyes. "All right, I'll grant you that it was impressive for what it was, but in the larger picture, it wasn't very smooth and easy, and that loses impressive points. And I'm sorry I can't freak out about this little act, but I'm too used to messy high jinks."

All three sneered and scowled, then Alastair's scowl turned into a smirk and he made a jerking motion with his hand. The tingling sixth sense of magic sparked a little just as Harry's orange juice tipped over. The orange liquid quickly covered the table, dripping over the edge.

Harry glanced down at his pants, sitting back some to watch the orange juice drip, making an amused snort of a noise. "And more messy high jinks. You three amaze me in ways that are so un-amazing." Harry waved a hand at John and Andrew, both standing uncertainly next to the table, holding their trays. "Sit down. Seriously, sit down. Go on." They sank uncertainly into their chairs.

Montgomery planted a hand on the table. "Do I have to-"

"I think you've done more than enough," Harry interrupted dryly, looking back at the threesome. He noted that behind the smirking Montgomery, Alastair was looking just as superior and smirky, but Ambrose had a very faint frown at the corners of his mouth.

"This is our table," Alastair put in, crossing his arms, "and you're-"

"No, it's really not," Harry told him. "Your name isn't on it, and I even asked someone this morning if there was any sort of assigned seating, and there isn't. So every table here belongs to every camper."

"Everyone knows the best tables belong to the best people." Montgomery's smirk managed to become even more smirky. "And you aren't-"

"It's too early in the day to listen to idiocy," Harry cut in, reconsidering his spells. "And I know you're feeling all puffed up and great because you dumped my food all over me, but that's really even stupider than everything else. You see, we're all magical here, and a quick wave of a wand, or hand, and this is taken care of. And if the wave is really good, you haven't even really cost me my breakfast, just my orange juice."

Montgomery scowled. "And just how do you figure that, you idiot?"

Harry gave him a patient smile as he gathered up the four spells he thought would work best, weaving them together into something easily triggered with a single touch of magic, finding the well practiced forms of cleaning magic something easy to wind together after hours of frustrating practice and failure followed by more practice. It was a little harder wandless, but his well hidden prickly irritation gave him a good emotional focus, and his amusement kept the irritation from blocking up the flow.

"Well?" Montgomery demanded.

Harry smiled even more, pleased with the excuse to chatter while he worked the spells he needed into an impressive, flashy, easily triggered set. "I'll be more than happy to tell you; I love teaching people new things. My family tells me it's me being a know-it-all show-off, but I say-"

"What does this have to do with anything?" Alastair interrupted with a sneer.

"This has to do with orange juice, seeing as how that's the only real so-called damage you've done." Harry ignored the mess on his shirt and the orange juice making his pants uncomfortably sticky and planted his elbows on the table, leaning forward, and incidentally closing the distance between the oatmeal and the bowl as he tried to establish the magical connection between the two. "It's basic knowledge, the properties of various things and how they interact with spells. In this case, the thing is orange juice and the property to be aware of is citric acid, because citric acid is a fairly common cleaning agent in both the non-magical and magical world. But it's the magical world that uses it in a really interesting way. You see, when you use undiluted citric acid with certain spells, what you get is something that removes minute particles from fibrous surfaces, like clothing-"

"What are you going on about?" Alastair interrupted with a half sneer, trying to look superior and only looking confused.

"Like clothing," Harry continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, "more specifically, like clothing that'll be used in an environment that calls for everything going in and out to be super sterile, like a potions lab that deals with potions that have a highly interactive gaseous state. Trust me, when you're working with a potion like that, the last thing you want is some speck of dust or pollen or dander to get mixed up with what you're making. Bad stuff that, like seriously bad, so you definitely should remember that-"

"What does this have to do-?"

"Ambrose, he of the cool name, you're supposed to be the amazing Hathorne boy." Harry sat back with a bit of a tsk. He raised his eyebrow as he gave up trying to wind the fourth spell into the set after it snapped a third time; he tried a different spell to see if it would resonate better, continuing just as Ambrose opened his mouth. "I really would have thought you'd have figured this out by now with your amazing Hathorne background."

"Don't talk down about Hathorne," Alastair sneered. "Just because you can't-"

"Believe me, the last thing I'm going to do is talk down about Hathorne," Harry snorted. "I'm _starting_ Hathorne this year-"

"Oz, even more scholarship-"

"And I'm not there on scholarship," Harry interrupted dryly. "Not a penny." Harry sighed at the sudden narrowing of eyes and reevaluating glances all three were giving him, but he could already tell that they'd either assume he was lying or that he just happened to be a nobody with a little money.

"I don't believe-"

"The tutored background that'll let me do well in Hathorne is the reason why I wouldn't put my orange juice back into my glass and drink it," Harry interrupted with an eye roll, letting himself smile a little as the four spells finally clicked together. "All because I know about the stripping properties of citric acid and magic. Granted, it's not being used in the right way, but I really don't care." Harry gestured to his shirt with a twitch of a smile, weaving in the trigger spell. "The oatmeal, on the other hand, that'll stand up well to being pulled out of my clothes and returned to the bowl, clean and safe, so-"

"You haven't done it," Montgomery sneered. "Are you hoping someone will notice and come over and help you out while you talk big? It won't happen."

"No, not expecting it at all." Harry smiled and decided to be entirely honest as he finished the triggering spell with barely any concentration, letting magic itself do most of the work. "I'm taking all of the cleaning spells and weaving them into a single trigger set."

Montgomery rolled his eyes, sneering all the more and beginning to look superior again. "Yeah, right. I'm just starting to cover spell sets and I'm in my fifth year at Evan Collins Wizarding Academy, and I'll have you know-"

"I bet you let a lot of people know things," Harry cut in. "I do, too. And I'll have you know that you're lucky that I've gotten so used to childish irritations that this breakfast interruption is more amusing than irritating." Harry snapped his fingers.

The orange juice vanished entirely while the oatmeal returned to its bowl, steaming like it'd just been poured from the pan. Harry ran a hand down his shirt, using the contact to lay down a cloth cleaning and ironing spell that left his shirt looking freshly washed and wrinkle free. The trio gaped and his two friends stared in wide-eyed awe.

Harry picked up his fork again to return his eggs to steaming fresh with a twirl of a movement, needing the focus of an object while he inwardly recovered from the strain of the effortless looking magic. "You three ought to go find yourselves a table before your breakfast gets even colder." Harry gave them an obvious look up and down, even though he'd already determined that they were wandless from their movements and the lack of tell-tale signs of a hidden wand holster. "Since I notice that none of you seem to have your wands and heat is surprisingly hard to apply to cooled foods without a wand." He turned back to his food, unable to stop himself from making a show of blowing on his eggs before taking a bite.

Montgomery shook off his surprise and planted his hands on the table, leaning forward with a dark scowl. "You listen to me-"

"You listen to me," Harry told him, putting down his fork and opening his milk with only a glance over. "Seriously, I'm not in the mood to deal with whatever you're about to spout. I know who you are, I know what you're likely to threaten me with before breakfast is over, and I'm not impressed. I'm not going to move just because you want to sit here and I'm not going to let you try to bully me around, and I have no problem getting a camp counselor over here-"

"Then you obviously have no idea who I am," he interrupted with a laugh.

"You obviously have no idea how stupid you sound. Just because you might be Monty the prince of the camp, that doesn't mean-"

"You're going to regret-"

"Nothing," Harry continued a little sharply. "No matter what you think will happen when someone comes over here, I promise you you're totally wrong. The worst, the absolute worst that might happen is that we have to have a meeting together with one of the counselors, and I bet you wouldn't like that at all. But they're more likely to warn me to stay away from you, or warn us to stay away from each other, and if that happens, you still won't like it because that means I win, you stay away from me. So whatever you're trying to start-"

"You started this-"

"You started this," Harry told him, sitting back and tapping a finger against the table. The fork by his bowl lifted off the table mimicked the movement of his hand as he tapped, drawing everyone's attention. Harry wiggled his fingers to watch the fork turn end over end in response, a gleaming metal pinwheel. "You were the one that came over here and acted like you owned the table and the sun and the world. You started this. And now I want you to go away so I can use the last fifteen minutes of breakfast to finish eating."

Montgomery looked away from the lightly spinning fork with visible effort to sneer half-heartedly at Harry. "I could have you kicked out of-"

"No, you can't," Harry interrupted shortly. "It's called logic. Your uncle isn't about to make someone leave, taking their money with them, opening himself up to possible legal action, just on your word alone. So there you go; enjoy your stay in reality. Go away."

Montgomery leaned forward, opening his mouth.

Harry slanted a hard look to the end of the table, but softened his expression at seeing Montgomery's almost flinch. It reminded him that he was just dealing with an annoying spoiled brat. "Go eat breakfast," Harry told him mildly, waving his fork towards the three of them, applying a general warming charm to their trays; it wasn't a skillful reheat that'd leave things tasting fresh, but it would heat all of the food evenly. "We have Quidditch to play. If you just go sit somewhere and eat now, no one wins and neither of us will lose out in the air because our stomachs are growling."

"He's got a point," Ambrose muttered after a few moments, clearing his throat.

Montgomery stared at Harry for a long few moments before standing up and brushing his shirt off with an indifferent look. "Fine. Sit by the window; blind yourself in the sunlight for all I care. We're going to eat somewhere more peaceful."

Harry watched Montgomery pick up his tray and walk away a little stiffly. Only once he was sure Montgomery and his friends were really going away – and after indulging in the childish whim to stick out his tongue at their retreating backs – did he look back to his breakfast. John and Andrew stared at Harry in something like awe once Montgomery and his friends had walked away.

"We have to hurry up and eat," Harry told them, ignoring the awe. Harry turned most of his attention to his breakfast, not saying anything, and the other two followed his example. He finished his remaining food with a few minutes to spare and excused himself with a mumbled, "I need to talk to someone before things get started this morning. I'll see you outside."

Outside, there were camp personnel talking and setting up and campers milling about, waiting for things to start. Harry stopped to ask the first person he saw wearing the camp's gray shirt with crossed broomsticks logo, a woman with 'Marla' stitched over a shirt pocket. "Who's doing the roll call?"

The woman looked over. "They call out the roll; you don't have to check in."

"I know. But I need to check something with him. It's important."

She studied him and then glanced around. "He's over there, with the clipboard."

"Thanks." Harry made his way over, waving to a few of the campers he'd met last night. The man was talking into a radio when Harry stopped next to him and Harry waited until he finished.

"Need something?"

"Yeah, actually." Harry glanced around and then leaned in. "Listen, when you call out the roll and put us into groups, can you just call me Jamie?"

"Instead of…?"

"Harry Potter."

The man's eyes flicked up to his forehead and then back to his face. "Ahh…" He looked to his clipboard and pulled a pen from his pocket to make a mark halfway down the list and then write 'Jamie' down next to his name. He underlined and circled the name and looked back up. "I can do that. But you realize that… someone will figure it out before the week's over?"

"Oh, yeah, that's fine. You can call out Harry Potter after the placement tryouts, if you want. Actually, you probably should." Harry rocked on his heels. "It's just I'd kind of like to play and get placed without anyone acting any differently about me, and people might. I'd like to earn whatever position and team I'm on here for the week, rather than someone being intimidated and playing more weakly or giving things to me or whatever and then I end up on a team that I don't actually fit on."

He put his pen back in his pocket with a very thoughtful look. "That's a very good thought."

"But after we do the placement, I think you ought to call out Harry Potter, just to get it over with it."

He nodded. "I can do that."

"Thanks." A bell sounded, giving the one minute warning. "I better go find my friends."

"All right."

Harry set off to do that, snorting a little as he passed where Montgomery was bragging about something.

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"How'd you do?" Andrew asked, gripping his broom tightly just below the bristles as he jogged over to Harry. "Totally sucks that we got split up to test for our positions. Is John done yet?"

"Yeah." Harry waved vaguely as he pulled the cap from his water bottle. "He went off in that direction, mumbling something about someone named Sara?"

"Ohhh." Andrew snickered as he looked in that direction, dropping down to sit next to Harry on the lower bleachers where they'd been told to wait for team placement. "He likes her."

"Believe it or not," Harry said dryly, "I rather gathered that." He stopped with his water bottle halfway to his mouth, hearing an unwelcome and familiar snicker behind them. He glanced over his shoulder to see Montgomery, Alastair and Ambrose sitting with a handful of others dressed in similarly stylish Quidditch jerseys. Harry could have had two dozen just like them, stain repellant, temperature controlled, fluid molding to the body with every movement, along with another half dozen interesting and useful but hardly necessary features; he preferred normal clothes, though, that'd proudly show the signs of a good game.

Montgomery noticed him looking and he sneered, then smirked and saluted Harry with his own water bottle. He looked back to his friends with more snickers and smirking.

Harry turned around again and glanced over at Andrew. Andrew gave him a tentative half smile. "Just ignore him."

"I have every intention of doing just that," Harry promised, considering his water bottle warily. Caution and a little paranoia forced him to pull his wand from the strap on his leg and test the water bottle for any sort of mischief.

"What are you doing?" Andrew asked, his water bottle halfway to his mouth.

"Just making sure the prince of stupid sneers back there didn't try anything. Nothing, though. He's just acting like an idiot."

"Oh." Andrew glanced at his water bottle a little uncertainly.

Harry tapped his wand against it without being asked. "It's fine."

"Thanks." He took a drink. "Hey, how'd your practice go?"

"Pretty good. The pros seem to like me. What about you?"

Andrew grinned. "I did pretty well. And I continue to suck at playing Keeper; you know you're bad when the pro only lets you test for the position for five minutes."

Harry snickered. "That is pretty bad."

"Hey…" John plodded over and dropped down onto the bench below them, turning around to look up at them as he dropped his broom over his lap.

"I take it your venture into the land of the girls didn't go well?" Harry asked, trying his best not to laugh at John's hangdog expression.

John shrugged. "She wouldn't stop giggling with her friends. I don't know."

"I've noticed girls tend to do that. Some more than others, granted." Harry glanced over at the pavilion where the camp trainers and visiting pros were in conference. "Apparently you have to learn how to read the giggling and figure out if it's a 'hey, come talk to us' or an 'oh man, I can't believe he thinks we'd talk to him'."

John planted his elbows on his knees and sighed heavily. "Yeah…"

Harry bit back another snicker. "As far as I can tell, the trick is to get them as alone as possible. Not that I've seen that to be very successful. I think there's something in the biology that makes girls cluster together."

John gave another heavy sigh. "Yeah…"

"Hey, looks like the Quidditch teams are about to be formed." Harry nudged John, watching as the group of pros and camp trainers broke apart and came over to the bleachers. John turned to watch as the head trainer introduced himself and explained that they'd be forming up the week's teams.

"They always call out the best team first," Andrew muttered, leaning back, as the header trainer consulted briefly with the head pro and sorted through his lists. "It'll be the snobs."

Harry glanced over and saw that Montgomery and three of his friends were already gathering their things to stand, all smirking and cocky looking, absolutely sure of their names being called.

"Doesn't matter," Harry said with a shrug, looking back. "Even the least skilled team here is absolutely amazing, from what I understand. And it doesn't look like it's all the snobs, just a handful."

The head trainer called for attention again and began to announce names.

"The top team doesn't look like it'll be so bad this year," Andrew murmured after the third name was called and one of Montgomery's friends scowled mightily when it wasn't his.

"No, not so bad," Harry agreed, brows going up a little as the head pro glanced around, made eye contact with him, and smiled a little with a tiny nod Harry wouldn't have noticed if he wasn't used to catching minute signals from his PDs.

"So that's the team," John said after a few more names, leaning back.

Harry frowned, puzzled. "There are still two positions-"

"For Beater position two!" the trainer called out. "Ambrose Carrick!"

"They always go to him and Montgomery," John said with an eye roll.

"I think this year will be different," Harry murmured as the announcing trainer paused, looking around. His attention lingered for just a second in Harry's general direction; the man looked like he was bracing himself for the reaction.

"And for Seeker position!" he called out. "Harry Potter!"

The entire area went quiet. Harry put the cap on his water bottle and slipped it into the little netted carrying sack.

"Funny," Montgomery snapped, breaking the silence. He stood up, gripping his broom, as whispers broke out all over the bleachers. "I didn't see Harry Potter trying out," he continued with a sneer, making his way down the bleachers. "And I-"

"You did, actually," Harry said dryly, standing and clipping the water bottle onto his belt loop. "Well, you didn't technically see it yourself, but I did try out." He picked up his broom and began to make his own way down the bleachers.

"You can't just- you can't- you don't-"

"That's enough," the head trainer interrupted as Harry continued toward the team he'd just been assigned to play on. "If there's a problem, you can bring it up after the teams are formed."

"I will," Montgomery said icily, glaring at Harry's back.

The head pro caught up with Harry a couple of yards away from the rest of the team and pulled him aside a little as the head trainer continued calling out names and teams. "I don't want you gloating-"

"I don't gloat," Harry interrupted. "I might make a comment or something if he keeps bothering me, but I don't gloat."

"Good. Because we didn't give you this position because you're better than him," the pro continued. "Skill for skill, he might even be a little better than you. But he's almost four years older and he's had professional training-"

"So have I, with the USAS. But a lot of that is more evasive tactics and stuff like that. Sorry, go on."

The pro snorted. "Like I was saying, skill for skill, you're evenly matched. But you have something that's hard to come by in Seekers of all kinds, even some professional players, and that's being a team player. A lot of Seekers seem to think that they're above the team and playing their own separate game, but you actually played with your teammates when you could. That's why I insisted you get a position with Team One. Understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Go join your team."

Harry grinned and all but skipped over to where the newly formed team was standing, already being advised by a trainer.

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Harry stifled a yawn as he pushed open the door to his shared cabin. He was half inside the door, reaching up to unhook the strap attached to the broom sling across his back, when he realized Andrew and John were both in the cabin and staring at him.

"Hi, guys…"

Andrew slowly sat up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. "Harry Potter?"

"Yeah… I'd tell you it's no big deal, but I know that won't fly."

"So you're really Harry Potter…" John said, looking a little awed.

"Guys, seriously, I'm really just me." Harry ran a hand through his hair and grimaced a little; he'd taken more than one tumble off his broom when the pro working with his team had taken over a Beater position. "Same person as last night, just as likely to fall off the bed trying to catch a Frisbee and share stupid stories about my family and all of that."

Andrew fidgeted.

"Listen, I'm going to take a shower; you think about that. I feel like I've been stuck in a pinball machine all day." Harry tossed his broom, still in its sling, onto the bed and grabbed his shower bag.

After a quick shower to get clean, Harry lingered under the hot water, letting it work on his muscles as he tried to think of some way to convince his new friends that he wasn't anything special. But when he came out of the bathroom, wearing sleep pants and toweling his hair, Andrew surprised him with a wry kind of smile.

"So… I think you're going to have a problem with the jerks."

"I'm thinking you're entirely right," Harry agreed, plopping down onto his bed and reaching under the bed for his broom servicing kit. "In fact, he stopped me on the way back to tell me not to get too comfortable here. He's absolutely delusional if he thinks his uncle is kicking me out of the camp at this point."

"Yeah, that would be delusional," John agreed, watching him closely, still not looking entirely at ease. Harry made the stupidest, silliest face at him that he could think of; John gave a start and then laughed at himself. "Sorry."

Harry shrugged. "He told me that he wasn't going to be taken in by me and not to think anyone else will be and blah, blah, blah. This week will certainly be interesting. I think he's going to try to get on my nerves until I snap so he can try to get me kicked out or something."

"Good thing you're Harry Potter."

Harry snorted. "Good thing he's an idiot."

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"Camp was great, thank you for asking."

Laney rolled her eyes. "I figured you'd get around to babbling about it eventually; no point in asking."

"Well, whatever." Harry leaned over the dining room table to peer at the papers spread out between Laney and Suntree. "Camp was awesome, though."

"I hear you caused quite a stir when they reshuffled the player positions after the initial skills assessment." Laney looked up with amusement. "Tony said that you stole the Seeker position right out from under your 'archrival', as he put it."

"Tony said that?" Harry rolled his eyes. "Tony's a total dork. But no, there was this jerk who thought he was better than everyone else because he had money and his uncle owned the camp. And I was like, pfsh, whatever, I rock, and he didn't like that at all. He's kind of pathetic. And he was okay at Seeker, but he was more interested in being the star of the game. So yeah, the pros totally recommended that I get that position. And who's going to argue with the professional Quidditch players? No one. Well, I probably would, but that's only hypothetical and if I think I'm actually right and not just full of hot air."

"You would argue," Laney said with a laugh.

"So that idiot got some of his idiot friends to be idiots and there was idiocy going on-"

"Imagine that," Suntree said dryly.

"Some of his friends tried to make nice to me because, you know, I'm Harry Potter, and that made him even madder. There was just a lot of weirdness going on."

Suntree put down the papers he was shuffling through. "Tony mentioned something about J-Pro, but he didn't go into any details."

Harry's eyes widened. "Yes! The J-Pro team! Apparently the camp is part of a recruiting thing, and there's this charity thing that the Quidditch league does and has done for years now, and it's so awesome. They put together a team that they call the Junior Professionals, and they train over the summer, and then there's this game where J-Pros actually play a Quidditch game against a real pro team. But actually, the J-Pros are more than just that, it's actually an organization, like an honors organization, for the top high school level Quidditch players who meet certain standards. But this is about the team! The team plays a charity game against the professionals! Of course, the real pros are going easy on the J-Pros, but it's a real serious game, and why on earth am I telling you this, Suntree? There's nothing you don't know."

"I was just asking why Tony brought it up. You're the one that decided to rattle on."

Harry stuck out his tongue. "Anyway! They so told me that next year I should try out for the J-Pro team, and they think I'm a shoe in for the Seeker position. So apparently all that broom stuff with Al and the flying trainers at headquarters, like, totally paid off. Sines, you know? Richard Sines? He plays for the Firecats. You know him, you're Suntree. Anyway, Sines told me that I need some polish in certain areas, and he totally took Tony aside and talked to him for, like, half an hour, so Tony's got stuff I can work on and I so totally could play on this team next year. Can I, Mom? Can I?"

"That's over a year from now. We'll see."

"Come on, Mom. Mommy. Please. I know its Quidditch, but it's so awesome."

Laney rolled her eyes. "We'll see. Don't bug me about it or you won't at all."

Harry scowled a little. "Fine. Okay."

"How did the Harry Potter thing work out?" Laney asked, studying him closely. "Beyond the idiots."

Harry rolled his eyes and dropped into a chair. "You know. People were… people. I mean, some of them were totally shocked, and some people hadn't the faintest clue who Harry Potter was. I had a kind of scary thing with my friends, a couple kids I was sharing a cabin with; they acted weird after they first found out and I thought things would be tense for a while. But that worked out. But you know what? A couple girls asked me for my autograph. What's up with that?"

"You are Harry Potter," Suntree said dryly.

"But, like, I'm eleven. What? Why? What's the point?"

Suntree shrugged. "Did you give them an autograph?"

"No. No, I didn't. No. I just… I said I wasn't allowed. Because, you know, why? What the hell- sorry, Mom – what the heck use is my name written on a piece of paper? Seriously? I mean… it was weird…"

"You'll want to talk to Jer about this. Autographs are something that go hand in hand with being famous."

"Yeah, well, maybe one day."

Laney studied him. "I'm surprised you don't have this great epic babble welling up inside about your time at camp. From our two phone conversations, I thought you were about to explode from excitement." She snorted. "Are you completely worn out?"

"I'm a bit tired, but not much. I'm just waiting for our next family dinner so I can tell it all at once. We're having one tonight, right? In honor of my being back?"

Laney snorted again. "Tomorrow night. Terry's busy with work and Cam has some sort of family thing."

Harry stifled a yawn behind a hand and leaned forward. "What are you doing?"

"Planning your twelfth birthday bash." Laney pushed several papers over to Suntree.

"Seriously?" Harry perked up. "The big one? The three day coming of age party thing? I thought you were totally against that, Mom."

"Suntree convinced me otherwise."

Harry looked at Suntree. "How the hell did you do that? Ow!"

Laney set the wooden spoon down on a pile of papers. "Language."

Harry rubbed his hand with a frown. "You've started carrying that around the house? When did that happen?"

"While you were gone. Some people seemed to think that you being gone meant they didn't have to watch their language."

"Al," Harry guessed.

"Yes."

"What was he doing around, anyway?"

"Pie."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"I told your mother that she needed to start thinking with her brain, not her gut reaction," Suntree put in. "That's how I convinced her."

Harry stared at him in skeptical surprise.

"I was very persistent." Suntree shrugged.

"I indulged him," Laney said. "He's an old man, after all."

Harry looked at Suntree.

Suntree raised a brow slightly. "I'm not going to object to a term that gets me what I want."

"So can I-?"

"No," Laney interrupted firmly. "You cannot start calling him old man. It's disrespectful."

"But you-"

"Aren't an eleven-year-old. I'm an adult. And I'm your mother."

"You're totally setting a bad example."

Laney rolled her eyes.

Harry studied the papers with interest. "How'd this come up again?"

"You've been in the paper all week," Suntree told him dryly. "And yes, we have clippings for you in your room. And it's not really unexpected, of course. We did warn you that it was likely to leak out that you were at the camp and to be prepared to treat it as your first real public appearance."

Harry nodded. "With all those kids and the staff and the other people around, I can't say I'm too surprised that it got out. But in the papers all week?"

"First confirmed Harry Potter sighting. Hot news, apparently."

"Could you sound any less impressed, Suntree?"

"I could try, if you'd like."

Harry gave him a look.

"In any case, Jer wants you to fire call him tonight to do a sort of mock interview." Suntree put a binder clip on a stack of papers and tossed them onto a chair. "He thinks it's time for you to release your first real public statement, so he wants to get some answers from you and some quotes. He expects it'll help keep the reporters from going on a Harry Potter hunt."

Harry nodded. "So what's all this stuff?"

"We're trying to come up with a guest list."

"Or at least a guest list that we can create a future guest list from," Suntree added. "Hopefully we'll be able to get it down to a couple hundred people."

"What?" Harry gave him a look of disbelief. "A couple hundred? I don't think I even _know_ a couple hundred people."

Suntree gave him a pointed look. "If you'll recall, the point of this elaborate coming of age party is to widen a young person's view of the world, introduce them to important people in their community and to set them on the path of their future by bringing them together with future teachers and others that will have some impact on how they develop as a person."

Harry made a face. "Yeah, I remember that."

"And you probably know two thirds of the USAS by now, several dozen healers and doctors, a significant portion of the staff at Hathorne, a werewolf community, a handful of professional Quidditch players, everyone at the Quidditch camp, and that's not even counting the children, parents, teammates, and whoever else you've met over the years. I think you know a couple hundred people."

Harry aimed a sour look at Suntree. "I get the point."

"We think we'll hold the party at a hotel," Suntree said as he shuffled some more papers. "Magical, of course. The first day will be small, just friends and family. Your friends and family. Us, Bran and his family, some of the Aurors you've gotten to know better, and so forth."

"Maybe that healer you have a crush on," Laney teased.

Harry blushed a little. "I don't have a crush on him," he muttered. "I say he's cute one time and now everyone keeps going on about it. See if I tell anyone when I think someone's cute."

"You said he was cuter than MacGyver," Suntree remarked mildly.

"MacGyver is awesome, man! He can totally, like, save the world with a matchstick and some string and a blue marker and stuff! That's awesome! And he's handsome," Harry sniffed, "not cute."

"You still made a comparison." Suntree shook his head slightly. "But anyway, you can invite your crush-"

"It's not a crush!"

"-And we can even introduce him as Harry Potter's crush, if-"

"Don't you dare!"

Suntree's mouth twitched. Harry glared at him.

"If you upset Jamie enough that he makes something explode, you're cleaning up the mess," Laney told Suntree.

"Anyway, we shouldn't need the reception rooms and dining hall for that. That'll be your real birthday party."

"I was thinking it'd be a pool party at the hotel," Laney told Harry with a bit of a grin. "And then we'd have a big dinner and do cake and presents and all of that."

Harry nodded to Laney and then went back to glaring at Suntree.

"The second day will be family and friends again, but we'll also be inviting some of your Mom's friends and our friends that you've met and gotten along with, some acquaintances you have at the USAS and some of the healers and doctors you know, some of Bran's pack, so forth."

"Why not just invite them all together?" Harry asked. "Be a heck of a lot less work."

Suntree shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder if information goes in one ear and out the other with you."

"Oi, just because I don't remember the tiniest details like you-"

"It's why the party spans over three days, or has three parts to it," Suntree interrupted. "The first day is supposed to be a reflection of where you came from, so it's a gathering of the people who're most important to you and who've influenced you over the years - family and close friends. The second day is supposed to be the start of your present, your 'now'. A lot of the same people as the day before, but more acquaintances and friends of the family, not just yours, and perhaps a team you play on or some of the people from a club you belong to, that sort of thing."

"That's a lot of people…"

"It will be a fair number of people," Suntree acknowledged. "And the third day will be the busiest - your 'future'. Quite a few people from the USAS, quite a few healers, some people from Hathorne, some of the professional Quidditch players you met at the camp and likely some of their friends, the obvious. And because you plan on being a public figure, we also need to invite some important people in magical America. No one outright political, but some people from important families and…" Suntree trailed off with an amused smile. "You're not paying any attention, are you?"

Harry shrugged sheepishly. "It's not that interesting. And it's months away."

Laney laughed. "Pool party the first day. Look forward to that. We'll handle all the other nonsense."

"Mom's got her priorities straight," Harry approved.


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: I would absolutely adore them and appreciate them beyond words.

Betas: Hugs to them all. For they are awesome. (And I can no longer remember who helped with what chapters specifically *hangs head*)

AN: IMPORTANT – Sadly, updates will take much longer for several months. I was in a car accident and shattered the bones in my pinky finger. Aside from healing time, the doctor expects that the scarring will permanently limit my range of motion in the finger so I'll have physical therapy and relearning to type with that hand. I'll do my best to keep up with the story, but I won't be as quick (I had this chap pretty much ready and didn't want to hold it hostage. And honestly, I want some nice reviews to cheer me up; I need it). Thanks for understanding. IMPORTANT

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 33

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"I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts," Harry said with a laugh. "One of these days, the reporters will get lucky and I'll have my picture plastered all over the country and I won't be able to visit a magical shopping center without stares, at the very least."

John snorted. "I'm surprised your picture didn't get out last month during your time at that Quidditch camp."

"Nope." Harry grinned. "Tony and Suntree gave me a bracelet that distorted the magical field around me and made it nearly impossible for a camera to capture anything more than a dark blur."

"I bet there was more than one person who was rather disappointed after they had their film developed."

Harry nodded. "I bet."

"I notice that you seem to have given up on the 'if they find out, who cares' thing," John remarked, watching Harry slouch along in his dark clothes, a hat pulled down low.

"Not really given up." Harry shrugged. "Just, you know, not something I always want to deal with."

"Mm. Did you like the magical science museum? I know that even though you're still enrolled in those pre-magical school classes, you almost never attend these days, and you were disappointed when you couldn't visit the museum with the rest of the class."

"Yeah, no, it's cool." Harry shook his head. "That would have been fun, of course, but I was more disappointed that I couldn't see it." He gave John a friendly nudge. "And some of that behind the scenes stuff was awesome. You know some pretty cool people."

"Glad you approve."

"That one room was totally cool, the 'magic or science' exhibit. If I wasn't aware of the magic around me, I so wouldn't have been able to figure out if some of those were caused by magic or science."

John nodded. "Exactly the point."

"Come on, let's go in here." Harry steered them towards a sweet shop.

"Thought you didn't like ice cream," John said with amusement.

"I like it in moderation; I never said I didn't like it altogether. Vanilla with sprinkles and some hot fudge is just groovy, as far as I'm concerned."

"Groovy, huh?" John steered them towards a table to the side. "You sit; I'll get the ice cream."

"Yes, groovy. Suntree used it the other day and it was just the most awesome thing to hear him say. And I can come with you to get the ice cream."

"Sit."

"I can-"

"Sit. It's easier for Tony to keep an eye on you if you're stationary. Wherever Tony is."

"Around. I've almost got the knack for figuring out where he is, but it's like trying to grab onto a slippery fish sometimes. Or one of those plastic squishy toys that's filled with some sort of gel or something; every time you try to grab it, it just smoozes out of your hands and flops about on the floor."

"Smoozes?"

"Yes."

John's mouth twitched. "Does that mean you're going to sit?"

Harry sat down primly. "Yes."

"Vanilla with fudge and sprinkles?"

"Yes."

"Rainbow or chocolate?"

"Rainbow, of course."

"Yes, of course." John rolled his eyes. "I should have realized. Stay here."

"Right here."

John eyed him. "That agreeable tone always makes me nervous."

"Relax. I'll stay right here. Look, I'll read one of the books we got at the museum." Harry made a show of going through the shopping bag at his feet and pulling out a book on the history of magical media. "See?"

"Mm." John considered him for a few moments and then turned and made his way over to the counter.

Harry idly flipped through the book, mostly keeping an eye on John at the counter. He was using his cane, but wasn't actually supporting himself with it very much. When he came back over, Harry quickly stood to take the tray.

"I could have done that," John remarked as he settled easily in one of the chairs.

"Good for you." Harry pulled his dish of ice cream closer, only to stop and stare at John's. "What the hell is that?"

John raised a brow slightly.

"Sorry. What the heck is that?"

"Ice cream." John took a bite with a teasing smile.

Harry stared at the big bowl of brownie, mint chip ice cream, fudge, sprinkles and whipped cream. There was a cookie on the side. "That's, like, death by sugar."

"It's good."

"Death by sugar."

"Would you like to try some?"

"Yes."

John chuckled and pushed his bowl across the table.

"That's… obscenely good," Harry said once he'd had a taste, and then another.

John took it back after his third. "Yes, it is."

"Anyway." Harry considered his spoonful of whipped cream and sprinkles. "Was I saying anything that even called for me to say an 'anyway' just now?"

"I don't think you were."

"I don't think I was, either."

John snorted. "Eat your ice cream."

After a short while of quiet enjoyment a woman at the next table made a noise of exasperation. "Harry Potter would."

Harry jumped and froze.

"Nuh uh," a much younger voice answered.

"Yes, Harry Potter would."

"Nuh uh."

"What's that?" Harry mouthed to John. John shrugged, casually leaning to the side to look past Harry.

"He's Harry Potter. He don't gotta do nothin'."

"That's because he knows what's good for him. He'd eat all of his sandwich without having to be told. And then he'd get his ice cream."

"Nuh uh."

"And he'd even eat his broccoli at dinner and ask for seconds."

"Nuh uh."

Harry looked at John with wide eyes. John's mouth was twitching.

"Harry Potter would want you to eat your sandwich."

Harry took a deep breath and gathered up his bowl and spoon. "Outside."

"I bet Harry Potter gets ice cream for dinner," the younger voice answered.

Harry quickly threaded his way around the tables, keeping his head down. He caught a glimpse of a harried woman with a young girl at a table near theirs. The little girl was glaring at the sandwich on her plate and eyeing her ice cream at the other side of the table. He barely made it outside before he burst out laughing.

"You'll be pleased to know that sandwiches are being finished in your name," John remarked when he joined Harry on a bench to the far side of the shop a few minutes later.

"That seriously just happened?"

"It very much did."

Harry waved his spoon around vaguely. "How on earth…?"

"My mother used to tell me Santa Claus wouldn't give me any presents if I didn't eat my spinach," John said with amusement.

"Santa Claus?"

"I come from a non-magical home."

"John!" Harry huffed in exasperation.

John laughed. "That's actually rather amusing."

"How on earth… Why on earth would a kid even care if I eat my broccoli or ice cream or whatever?"

"Oh, come on. Harry Potter? It's even better than all those stories with kids solving mysteries or saving kingdoms or fighting dragons or whatever else. Harry Potter actually happened. Of course little kids are going to eat up stories about Harry Potter."

"Stories? There aren't stories. There's one story. One thing. That's it."

"You know what I mean."

"And now I'm endorsing sandwiches before ice cream and second helpings of broccoli at dinner," Harry muttered.

"The thing that I find most amusing in this situation is that you actually would endorse just those things."

Harry waved his spoon again. "That's beside the point."

"Jamie, you're sending rainbow sprinkles everywhere."

Harry put his spoon back into his bowl. "Do you have any idea how weird that just was?"

"I'd imagine it was fairly weird."

"Fairly? Fairly? That was totally weird."

"Are you going to eat the rest of that?"

John gave a start. Harry jumped and aimed a glare at Tony. Tony continued to lean against the back of the bench, eyeing Harry's half eaten ice cream.

"Well?"

"No, here." He shoved the ice cream at Tony. "And don't just appear and start talking. Give us some warning."

"That wouldn't be much fun," Tony said around a mouthful of ice cream.

"Just wait until a picture of you appears in the papers or on TV or something," John said with amusement. "I'm sure things will get quite interesting."

"I wish I could wear one of those bracelets all the time," Harry groaned.

"The image distortion ones?"

Harry nodded at John's question.

"Why can't you?"

"I suppose I could for short periods of time. But really, I just don't like wearing bracelets. They get in the way when I want to do something. And anyway, if I move my arms too much, too quickly, it leaves tiny gaps in the distortions and you could, in theory, still have a clear picture come out if you take the picture at just the right second."

John considered that. Tony considered the uneaten cookie in John's bowl.

"And I suppose I could wear a necklace or something," Harry continued with a shrug. "But I'm not that big of a fan of those, either."

"How about an earring, then," John suggested after a few more moments' thought, offering his cookie to Tony.

"An earring?"

"That's what I said."

Harry fingered his ear. "Really an earring?"

"They're pretty popular in the magical world. Non-magical world, too. I know Edding Smith wears one."

Harry gave John a blank look.

John laughed. "Right, sorry. He's a young actor in the magical world. Probably hasn't been in anything you've seen, though."

"Turbograss," Tony said. "The lead singer of Turbograss has an earring. And Frances Kristoff. He's-"

"The drummer for Dinosaurus," Harry interrupted. "I've seen them on the TV before. He's pretty cute."

"I'll take your word on that," John remarked.

"And a lot of Aurors wear earrings." Tony considered that. "I know Davish does. Likely more than one. I know he had a tongue ring for a while."

"And how do you know that?" John asked, brows going up.

Tony snorted. "It's Hollen Davish. When I was younger, I'd run into him occasionally and he seemed to take great joy in making people uncomfortable by playing with it. You tend to remember that sort of thing."

Harry looked between them. "Tongue rings have something to do with sex, don't they?"

John choked on a spoonful of ice cream.

Tony's mouth twitched with amusement. "What makes you say that?"

"Because you said he'd play with it and make people uncomfortable. Adults tend to only get super weird and uncomfortable when it has to do with sex."

"I need some water," John said weakly. "I'll be right back."

Tony watched John head back inside the shop before looking back at Harry. "Yes, it does. But I'm not going to explain it."

"Good. I don't want you to."

"Glad we're on the same page."

Harry claimed John's ice cream for his own and enjoyed a bite of brownie with a thoughtful look. "Okay, so, an earring doesn't sound too bad. They're kind of interesting. And now that you mention it, I have seen them on an awful lot of cute guys."

"Cute girls wear them, too."

"Funny, for some reason I hadn't noticed." Harry rolled his eyes. "But anyway, would I just put it in when I'm going out, or would I wear it all the time? Would it even be comfortable to wear all the time? Would I even be allowed to wear it? More importantly, would Mom even ever think about it, let alone allow it?"

"Can't help with that last one."

"Neither can I," John said, settling back on the bench again. He eyed Harry. Harry continued to innocently eat John's ice cream. "As for the other questions… You could wear it as often as you like after it heals. It takes something like six to eight weeks to heal non-magically, but it'd probably just be two or three weeks with magic. As for your non-magical school, I don't know how they'd feel about it. Probably best to wait until summer to get it anyway."

"Hmm…" Harry licked some chocolate off the spoon.

"Hathorne doesn't care," John added. "In fact, I do recall seeing more than a few young men with earrings."

Harry nodded slowly.

"As for comfort, ask Suntree."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Because Suntree knows everything."

John snorted. "Well, there is that. But I was more thinking you should ask him because he wore earrings when he was younger."

Harry stared. "No way."

"You never noticed that his ears are pierced?"

"No. No way."

"He was once a young man, you know," John remarked with amusement.

Harry mulled over that. "Really?"

"He wasn't born in his fifties."

"No." Harry huffed. "He really has his ears pierced?"

"I do seem to recall that, yes."

"Weird."

"John? John, it is you!"

John's vaguely amused expression faded into a slightly uncomfortable smile as he turned to the speaker, a man who was fast approaching their bench. Harry pulled his hat lower, eyeing the middle-aged man curiously and hoping he wouldn't be noticed.

"By Merlin, it is you. I haven't seen you in forever. You're looking fit; though I see you still have the cane." He came over and took John's hand to pump. John gave him a weak smile. "You do remember me, don't you? I should hope so!"

"Yes, of course," John murmured. "How could I forget? How have you been, Paul?"

"Great, just great. Retiring in a few years, you know. What about you? Heard you went into teaching, of all things!"

"Yes, I did. I've been doing fairly well."

The man's eyes fell on Harry. Harry peered up at him curiously. "You didn't have a kid, did you?" Paul asked John, nudging him. "I thought Tiffany didn't want-"

"No," John answered shortly. "No. This is Jamie. He's- one of the students I tutor privately. We were just out visiting the museum."

"Great, just great. Is John a good teacher?" Paul asked in that special voice adults used on children. "I just bet he is."

"He is," Harry agreed. "And I'm eleven, thank you. Not four."

Paul laughed heartily.

"We should be getting Jamie back," John said, pushing to his feet with help from the cane. "Why don't you go throw your bowl away, Jamie?"

Harry got to his own feet with a nod and hurried over to the nearest garbage can. He hurried back at seeing John's tight, uncomfortable smile.

"Damn shame what happened to you," Paul was saying. "Didn't think you'd make it, man! But you pulled through, fighter to the end. We all still think of you. You should come visit! I always tell the new boys about you! An Auror worth his salt, you were. And us just being local law, well-"

"I'm ready, Mr. John," Harry interrupted.

John gave him a little nod. "I really should-"

"Of course! Get him back to his parents." Paul grinned at Harry. "Your teacher's a hero, you know. Saved six of us! I didn't much like Aurors until I met this man, but he's worth all the hype. But I bet you've heard all about it, huh? Jamie, right? He's a hero, Jamie." He turned back to John. "I tell you, I'll never forget it. Real bravery! I still remember that night crystal clear, you standing up and-"

"Actually," Harry interrupted a little loudly, sensing cracks of stress running through John's magic without even trying to feel it. "It's Harry."

Paul turned away from John in confusion. "What?"

"It's Harry. My name."

"Oh. Could have sworn… Well, Harry, John's a right hero. Never saw a man that'd stand up-"

"Harry Potter."

The man stopped short in surprise. "Harry… Potter?"

"Yes." Harry put a finger to his lips.

"Oh. Well. Hot damn! Really?"

Harry nodded. "And Mr. John really needs to get me back home. It was a pleasure to meet you, but we really can't stay. I'm sorry." Harry held the museum bag tighter in one hand and grabbed John's hand with his other before the man could try to shake his arm off. "Bye!" Harry gave John a nudge. "Nice to meet you!"

"You didn't have to do that," John said once they were far enough away, sounding both relived and guilty.

"Nope," Harry agreed.

"He probably won't keep quiet about that."

"Just as long as he keeps quiet long enough for us to leave, I don't care."

There was an almost pained silence. "Jamie-"

"We're almost to the east exit and then we can take the Portkey back home."

The last several minutes were in silence, though Harry was a little distracted trying to sense Tony and keep a watch on what was going on around them. Just as they were reaching the east exit, Harry felt Tony's magical aura sharpen and focus behind him, and he didn't have to glance back to know that Tony was showing himself again.

"This way, kids." Tony led them down a short, dead-end alley just shy of the exit. "Got the Portkey, Jamie?"

Harry pulled a length of rumpled ribbon from his pocket and tried to smooth it out before offering one end to John.

Tony rested one hand on John's shoulder and hooked a finger around the middle of the ribbon. "We have everything?"

"Yes."

"Mm." John tightened his hold on the ribbon.

Tony nodded. "Away then to misadventure and insanity."

There was a jerk on his stomach and a moment later Harry staggered, but kept to his feet as they hit the ground. Tony's hand on John's shoulder kept John on his feet.

"I'm going to go let everyone know we're back," Tony said before they'd even gathered their wits, taking the museum bag and making sure John had a steady grip on his cane before striding toward the house.

Harry watched him go for a moment and then turned to John. John was watching him uncertainly, looking more worn and weary than Harry had seen in a while.

"Jamie, I-"

"I'm not going to ask," Harry interrupted. "You don't have to explain it."

John leaned more heavily on his cane. "You didn't have to-"

"I know. That guy seemed nice enough, but completely oblivious. It was obvious even to me without knowing how your magic was reacting that you were getting upset, and he just kept blabbering on."

"But still, you deserve an explanation, after you-"

"No." Harry shook his head. "You can tell me whatever you want to tell me, of course. I'm not saying I don't want to listen if you want to talk. But you don't _have_ to tell me anything."

"Surely you're curious…"

Harry shrugged, looking amused for a moment. "So? I won't die from curiosity." Harry shuffled his feet a little, a frown pulling down the corners of his mouth. "I'm not- Whatever that was all about, that's your business. It's not just- it's not some small, silly thing. That was serious. You don't have- you don't just talk about stuff like that because someone learns that the stuff is there, okay? Even I know that. I don't think you'll never tell me, but… I don't think you really want to tell me right now."

John sucked in a breath and opened his mouth, then shut it wordlessly a moment later.

"I've… learned from Mom that sometimes there are really painful things that adults… just don't want to talk about. And if I can't…" Harry swallowed, shuffling his feet a little. "If there's nothing I can do to help, it's not going to… There's no point in talking about it if you don't want to. When you want to, well, that's different. But just saying something because you think you need to… it just never works." Harry's voice dropped. "It always just ends with Mom in tears and I can't do anything, I… So don't… You don't have to do that…"

John sucked in a deeper breath and held it before giving a slow nod. He reached out after a moment to roughly clasp Harry's shoulder. "You're- I- That's very wise," he said a little thickly.

Harry tentatively lifted a hand to give John's hand a squeeze, nodding a little.

"I'm going to- can you tell your mother that-"

"I'll let her know something came up."

"Thank you." John pulled his hand away and dropped it to his cane, gripping with both hands. "I'm- I should…"

Harry nodded, taking several steps back. John lingered a moment, then turned sharply to the right and disappeared with a loud crack.

* * *

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* * *

Suntree leaned in the doorway to Harry's room and looked the room over. The bed was in complete disarray, the mountain of candy-shaped pillows were all over the floor between the bookshelves and the bed, the dresser was piled high with clothes, clothes that were spilling down all over the floor, and the dresser drawers were all pulled open and nearly empty. Out of the corner of his eye, Suntree could just about see that the desk was a mess of papers and books, pencils, pens, quills and markers everywhere, notebooks, binders and folders piled haphazardly on the chair and slowly sliding to the floor. The cause of the disaster, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Suntree came into the room, stepping carefully over a Ninja Turtle action figure and game pieces to _Risk_, Connect Four and chess. He found Harry in the one area of the room he couldn't see from the door, curled up in the old armchair that Harry hadn't wanted to leave behind at the other house.

"Well, at least you make it easy for us to know when you're upset about something. You destroy your usually neat room."

"Don't talk to me," Harry muttered, curling up tighter around his pillow. "I'm a horrible, terrible person."

"Really?"

"Yes. So you can just go away."

"Hm." Suntree studied the room again, then picked his way over to Harry, pausing long enough to clear off the desk chair and bring it over. "Why don't you tell me about it?"

"No." Harry suddenly reached out and turned Suntree's head to the left, then huddled back into the chair, arms around his pillow again. "See? I'm a terrible person."

Suntree held back a snort of laughter. "Yes, very terrible. Turning my head like that. Why, it's absolutely criminal."

"Don't make fun. I didn't even notice your ears were pierced until Mr. John pointed it out!"

Suntree raised his brows a little. "Because you should have noticed several tiny little holes in my ears, despite the fact that my hair is usually covering them?"

"Don't get all technical," Harry muttered.

"Kid, your pity party is looking pretty pitiful if that's all you've got."

"I'm not having a pity party! And even if I was, I didn't invite you. You can just go uninvite yourself somewhere else."

Suntree's mouth twitched. "Yes, I certainly can. Don't intend to, though."

"Whatever." Harry jerked around in the chair to stare at the far wall.

"I guess it's up to me to guess why you're such a terrible person." Suntree sat back and tapped his fingers against his mouth. "Let's see…"

"I'm not telling you."

"Good. I want to guess. This should be fun."

"Whatever."

"Hmmm… if you were a normal kid, which you're not, I'd say you broke something of your mom's, but you'd be able to fix that with a finger twitch, so…"

"Still not telling," Harry muttered.

"You don't strike me as the type to get all doom-like and dramatic over a bad grade, not that you get bad grades. I doubt you'd think you were a terrible person even if you did get bad grades. You're usually not given to hurting people's feelings without apologizing shortly after, and certainly never in such a way that you'd think you were a terrible person afterward. You're such a sweet little boy-"

"Shut up. I'm not."

Suntree rubbed a hand over his face to hide his smile. "I don't think you've caused any large scale disasters recently, oppressed large groups of people, broken anything irreplaceable-"

"What the fuck is that about?" Harry jerked around again. "Large scale disasters deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as breaking things?"

Suntree shrugged. "Just listing things. That's all. This isn't ranked by importance or anything."

Harry glared.

"So, let's see… You didn't decide to run away and join a circus without telling anyone. You haven't been sneaking cookies before dinner and ice cream for breakfast, despite Al's attempts to corrupt you. I honestly don't think you'd feel very bad if you were planning to take over the world, so that option's out. You-"

"You know what's wrong?"

"No, I don't. That's what I'm trying to guess."

"I'll tell you-"

"I thought you weren't going to," Suntree interrupted with raised brows. "What happened to 'I'm not telling you'?"

"You're just going to keep talking endlessly until I do." Harry wriggled out of the chair and kicked his way through the mess on the floor until he could throw himself on his bed, curling around large polar bear pillow, his back to Suntree.

"Are you going to tell me?" Suntree asked after a silence, getting up to sit at the edge of the bed.

"I'm a terrible person."

"And?"

"I don't know anything about you! About anyone!"

Suntree shifted further onto the bed, reaching out to rest his fingertips lightly against Harry's side. When Harry didn't shrug him off, Suntree gave his back a little rub. "Jamie, that doesn't make you a bad person," he said quietly. "It's not as if you don't know anything about us."

"Barely anything," Harry mumbled.

"I think you know more than you think you do."

"Don't. Like, see, I don't even know if any of you are married."

"I think you do." Suntree kicked his shoes off and shifted closer. "You know I'm not married. You've seen my house. I live all alone. No kids, either. You'd have noticed pictures up. You know Cam's not married, right?"

"Guess so."

"You guess so? Did she get married in the last few days and not tell anyone?"

"No."

"Then you know she's not married. Merlin knows she complains often enough about failed first dates."

"That cuz she's attracted to morons," Harry said with a snort, voice muffled by the pillow. "She doesn't want to date anyone from work, she gets dressed up all pretty and girly, goes for the manly men, and then they can't handle her being a tough Auror."

"Quite right. And you know Tony's not married or seeing anyone. And Al certainly wishes he was seeing someone."

"That's his fault," Harry snorted. "He doesn't know how to talk to girls."

"No, he doesn't," Suntree agreed. "There's a reason that Cam calls him the king of pathetic pick-up lines."

Harry shrugged a little.

"And there's Terry-"

"He says it's too much of a security risk for him to get involved with anyone right now."

"Maybe he just likes being a bachelor, of course. And then Green…"

"He seems to have given up…" Harry murmured.

"That happens a lot with certain Aurors," Suntree said quietly. "We have some disappointments, we devote ourselves to work, and then it just seems like there's never enough time or energy to spare for anything other than work. Wives don't like to be second to your job. Or husbands."

"Sounds like John's married."

Suntree let out a slow breath. "That's his story to tell, Jamie. But… wait a while to ask."

"I won't be asking. I mean, at least not for a good while."

Suntree made a sound of understanding.

Harry sighed heavily. "I don't know anything about any of you…" He swallowed tightly. "I say I care about everyone, but I don't even ever think about stuff like that, if they're married or have kids or how much family they have or what they do when they're not working or anything."

"Jamie." Suntree smoothed his hair back gently. "Come on, think about this. You never asked John about his leg, how it happened or anything like that. Why?"

"Because I'm a bad person."

"No. Why didn't you?"

"I don't know…"

"You kind of already knew about it, didn't you?"

Harry half sniffed and angrily scrubbed at his face. "I knew he… I knew he was hit with a curse and it still bugged him, like seriously, and he had to leave the USAS after it happened. He spent a hell of a lot of time recovering. And now he teaches, or he was teaching at least, before he came to tutor me. That's all I know."

"I'd say that's a fair amount, considering you claim to have known nothing. You actually know enough of the big picture, just not the fine details of what happened. But I rather expect that you figured that'd be quite the painful story, considering he lost his career and it affected his magic and is still causing him physical discomfort."

"But I never asked," Harry persisted.

"I'd say that makes you a wiser child than most," Suntree muses. "John rarely mentions his time as an Auror, let alone how things ended. There were more than enough clues that he didn't want to be asked and he didn't want to talk about it."

Harry shrugged.

"You're hardly a bad person," Suntree put in a little dryly.

"I still don't know nothin' about anyone."

"You still don't know anything about anyone," Suntree corrected. "And you do, actually. Where does Cam live?"

Harry shrugged. "Don't know. Never visited."

"You're being difficult on purpose."

"It's up north somewhere. I don't know. She shares her apartment with a couple of roommates. They're not Aurors or law enforcement or anything like that, and that's why I haven't visited."

"Mmhm, yes. And what does Green like to do in his spare time?"

"Blow shit up."

Suntree snorted. "Straight and to the point. How about me? What do I do when I'm not working?"

Harry was silent for a little while. "You have spare time?"

Suntree snorted again. "Occasionally." He leaned in close to Harry's ear. "I'll tell you a secret. Often when I'm over here, I'm not actually working."

Harry wriggled around to look at him. His eyes were suspiciously red. "You spend your spare time here when you're also here all the time working?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Maybe I'm like Al and I happen to love your Mom's pie." Suntree grinned at Harry's flat expression. "Because you're family? Maybe that's it. Maybe I like being here. Maybe I like being around you. Maybe that's it."

Harry rolled his eyes and then scowled. "See. I don't even know if you have other family. Parents? I know you're old-er, but, oh, shut up."

"I was grinning, not laughing. You can't shut up a grin."

"Can, too. I say so."

Suntree laughed.

"Now you can shut up."

"Yes, I have parents. But I'm almost sixty-years-old, child. Why on earth would I go hang out with my parents?"

Harry shrugged. "Don't have any siblings? No cousins? Nothing like that?"

Suntree smiled faintly. "I have siblings. And cousins. We spend time together occasionally, but… I'm not exactly close to any of them, really. Just an aunt in Florida, and I visit her fairly often, though it's usually not too long into the visit before the cats drive me away."

"Cats?"

"She's a crazy old cat lady," Suntree said with a grin. "Cats everywhere."

"See? I didn't know that."

"It's not exactly something that comes up in casual conversation, or a question you'd be likely to ask me." Suntree snickered. "I can just see that – 'say, Suntree, do you have any crazy old cat lady aunts hanging around?' Very casual conversation kind of thing."

"Oh, shut up."

"You know more about us then you think, Jamie."

"You like girls, right?"

Suntree laughed. "Yes. What on earth makes you ask that?"

"I don't know." Harry shifted on the bed, frowning a little. "I didn't know Green didn't until he just sort of said something. That's a big thing not to know."

"First of all-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. He likes girls and guys. He likes both. I know."

"Good. Second of all, is it really that big of a thing not to know? Does that really define a person that much? Are labels that important?"

Harry plucked at the side of his bear with a frown. "No."

"You're always ranting about how it's wrong to label magic. But it's okay to define people by labels?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why is knowing something like that such a big deal to know or not know?"

"Oh, shut up. You know what I meant."

Suntree shifted to brush the messy hair back from Harry's face. "Where are your glasses?"

"I'm wearing the magical contacts you guys got me a while ago."

"Good. I'd hate to think your glasses are somewhere in this mess, tossed away, waiting to be trampled into a million pieces."

"They're in the bathroom. These contacts itch funny."

"They're adjusting to your eyes. If you actually wear them for a week or so, that'll go away."

Harry shrugged.

Suntree was quiet for a little while. "Listen, Jamie… Kids are generally pretty wrapped up in themselves for a while. Adults know that. And you'll be twelve in three months. Kids become teenagers, and if there ever was a creature completely wrapped up in itself, it's a teenager." Suntree chuckled. "Just because you haven't been trying to find out every single thing about us, it doesn't make you a bad person. Friendship and family is an odd thing. I think it's knowing the small things, the things that come from paying attention to people, what they like and how they feel, those are important."

Harry shrugged again.

"Okay, so you didn't know about John's leg, you didn't know there's some negative stuff connected to when it happened that still bothers him, you didn't know that I used to wear earrings… No changing that. So if it bothers you, don't whine about, don't pout, don't mess up your room, don't cry-"

"I'm not crying," Harry muttered.

"Don't just feel something, is what I'm saying. Do something. Act. Decide to make changes; don't just wait for things to change. Don't sit back passively and let things happen to you; make things happen."

Harry wiped at his eyes with a faint frown.

"I'm Suntree the all-knowing," Suntree teased. "If I say it, it must be right."

"Oh, shut up." Harry smacked his shoulder lightly. "You're being stupid."

"Feeling any better?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess so."

"Come on. You should get this room cleaned up before your mother comes up here and sees it and starts to call you baby and smothers you in hugs and kisses. There's nothing quite like having your mother hovering over you to ruin a good sulk."

"You're not funny."

"I never claimed to be." Suntree sat up and offered Harry his hand. "Come on. I'll help you clean up."

Harry stared at him unmoving for several moments, then took the hand and let Suntree pull him up.

* * *

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* * *

Harry rubbed his eyes with a sigh. The contacts continued to feel tingly and strange, but he was determined to wear them the whole week and let them finish adjusting. He gave up rubbing his eyes when a shi-shi sound drew his attention back to a table in the middle of the library.

Hollen was sitting at the large table all by himself, one designed to seat ten with room to spare, several books spread out around him, a notebook in front of him and a cup at his left hand, despite the fact that drinks weren't allowed in the USAS library. He also had a package of graham crackers open to his right, something else not allowed, but so far, none of the watchful librarians had said anything to him. And there was no doubt they'd seen him; there was nothing about Hollen that didn't draw attention, from his rainbow colored hair braided down his back, his glittery dragon shirt, the pants that made noise every time he moved, all the way down to his green-socked feet, no shoes in evidence.

As Harry watched, Hollen picked up his pen and chewed on the end of it before flinging the pen down dramatically. It bounced off the pad and clattered across the table, but no one jumped at the noise. There were too many people already watching him.

Hollen wiggled his fingers at the pen. "Come here." He snagged it out of the air and went back to chewing on it loudly, shifting his legs beneath the table in obviously deliberate movements. After a few moments, he added fingernail tapping to the chewing and shi-shi-ing symphony. One of the librarians disappeared around a row of shelves with a faint frown.

Harry chewed on his bottom lip as he considered the scene in front of him. After a few moments, his attention was drawn to one of the library's entrances as someone Harry vaguely recognized came in with a stack of books in his arms and a large backpack on wheels following behind. He aimed for Hollen's table up until the moment he cleared the bookcase that hid half of the table from view; once he saw the occupant, he stopped abruptly enough that his backpack bumped into him.

Harry wasn't in the least surprised when the man swallowed hard, looked around the packed library, then continued on, giving Hollen's table wide berth, to squeeze himself into a space around at a table with too many people around it already. Harry had seen it happen more than once since he'd sat down. And right on cue, Hollen looked up and glanced around the table with an altogether too self satisfied smirk, shifting in his seat to prop his feet up on the chair next to him.

Shaking his head, Harry shouldered his backpack and gathered up his homework and books and everything else of his on the table to head over to Hollen's table. Hollen glanced up in surprise when Harry put his books down next to him.

"Right, so, are you good at math?" Harry asked, nudging the graham crackers out of the way with a little disapproving look.

"What?"

"Are you good at math? And move your feet, I want to sit. Because I have some pre-Algebra homework I need some help with."

Hollen shifted his feet off the chair slowly and sat up. "You what?"

"I have pre-Algebra homework I need help with," Harry repeated with slow patience. "Are you good at math?" He settled in the chair, spared the crumbs on the table a disapproving glance as he brushed them away, and then began to spread his papers out again.

"Um…"

Harry tapped one of his papers. "See here? Come on, sit up and look," Harry chided, giving Hollen a matter-of-fact 'you will help me' look as Hollen continued to slouch and stare at him. "And don't get any food on my homework."

Hollen gave him a strange, puzzled look. Harry returned it with the look that Suntree described as his 'this is the way I decree the universe to be and thus you must do what I want' look. It seemed to work; Hollen slowly sat up under the continuing pressure of Harry's stare and he leaned in to look at the paper Harry had indicated. "Um…"

"You don't totally suck at math, right? You're not going to make this even more confusing, right?"

"No, I don't suck at math." Hollen leaned in a little more, frowning slightly. "Aren't you in fourth grade or something? What are you doing with pre-Algebra work?"

Harry poked Hollen's arm. "No. I'm in sixth grade, thank you very much." He poked Hollen again. "And I only have two months left before summer, and then I go to Hathorne." Harry poked him a third time just because Hollen looked like he had no idea how to respond to Harry's one finger assault. "So can you help me or not?"

"If you're going to Hathorne," Hollen said slowly, "why do you need help with your homework?"

Harry gave him a look. "That's a completely retarded thing to say."

"Hey, if you don't want help-"

"I wouldn't have asked for help if I didn't want help," Harry interrupted. After a moment, he gave Hollen a pleading look. "Come on, this stuff is hard."

Hollen pulled the book over. Harry noted that he muttered a hand cleaning charm under his breath before he did so. "Let's see… Exponents?"

Harry huffed. "Don't say it like that, like, 'oh my god, that's all you're having trouble with'. That's totally not cool. This crap is hard when you're eleven. It's all cool until you start inviting the 'P's and 'X's and 'Q's, but after that, it makes no sense at all."

Hollen snorted. "You seem to be doing pretty well."

"Yeah. But this problem here, see? That is a monster of a problem. Terrifying with the fangs of letters where numbers should be and little venomous negatives in places they have no business being. I need help."

Hollen stared at him.

Harry nudged him. "So, can you help me?"

"I… Right. I imagine I can. You have to learn this for advanced Arithmancy. I'm pretty good at that. Let me see your pencil."

"Okay… but I want to know how to do the problem. I don't want you to just do the problem for me."

Hollen raised his brows. "What on earth makes you think I'd make anything that easy?"

Harry grinned. "Great." Harry shifted onto his knees and leaned in close. "All right."

"Hm." Hollen glanced over at him. "You don't have to be so close."

"I don't have cooties or anything."

Hollen tapped the pencil against the paper a few times. "So this is the problem here?"

Harry nodded.

"How do you know it's wrong?"

Harry dragged another sheet of paper out of his notebook. "See? Suntree writes all of the solutions down for me to double check my work. And my answer isn't right. And since it's just the answer, I can't tell where I went wrong."

Hollen picked up the paper with an odd look. "Why does he write the answers down for you?"

"Because it's ten times more frustrating doing an entire homework assignment and then realizing you were doing something wrong and half of its wrong. So if I can check the answers after I do a few and see that I'm doing things right, it keeps me on track."

Hollen raised his brows.

"I'm not cheating," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Come on, I need help."

Hollen pulled a piece of scrap paper over and wrote on it briefly, glancing between the problem and his paper as he worked on his own attempt without the use of a calculator. At last he checked the answer page against his and then studied Harry's attempt. "That's your problem area right there," he said at last, tapping his pen against the paper next to one of the lines.

Harry picked up his pencil. "Gee, that's helpful. Do you know how many times I've worked on this problem?"

"I don't really care," Hollen told him, turning back to his book. "That's your problem."

Harry pursed his lips, considering Hollen's bent head before he turned his attention to the problem, studying the numbers carefully and comparing the problem to the other problems around it. At last he put his pencil down. "Woo, big surprise, I'm still clueless. I have no idea how I could change that in any way."

Hollen glanced over out of the corner of his eye. "None?"

"Obviously."

Hollen studied the problem before picking up his pen again and turning over his pad to a page not covered in the special USAS shorthand. "Watch closely. If it doesn't make sense when I'm done, we'll work out why."

"Sounds good."

Hollen began to rework the problem, not even glancing over at Harry to make sure he was paying attention. For his part, Harry watched closely, occasionally glancing over at his own attempt.

"Oh!"

"This is a library," Hollen remarked, putting his pen down without bothering to finish the problem.

Harry sat back, giving Hollen an unimpressed look. "Don't you try that with me, what with your eating and drinking and socked feet and noisy pants and tapping and knuckle cracking and-"

"I take it you understand what you did wrong now?" Hollen broke in.

"I do believe that I do." Harry turned his attention back to his homework, setting to erasing the problem with a vengeance.

"Watch it," Hollen warned. "You're going to get eraser crap on my crackers."

"I don't really care," Harry informed him. "Food and drink is forbidden in the library; therefore, any eraser crap that gets into your food is well deserved."

"I'll stop when someone tells me to stop," Hollen said with a knowing smirk.

"Stop."

"Someone official."

"You don't want me to go find someone official."

"Actually, I think that'd be fabulously amusing," Hollen answered, stretching out and looking around with even more of a smirk, seeming to relish the idea.

"I bet," Harry muttered. He fixed Hollen with a stern look. "And while we're on the subject of misbehavior-"

"I suspect this shall be interesting." Hollen picked up a cracker and took a noisy bite.

"Yes," Harry continued sternly, plucking the cracker from Hollen's hand and using the motion to power the magic to vanish it.

"I was eating that," Hollen protested, looking almost a little impressed.

"Why the hell are you sitting at one of the biggest tables in the library when you know the USAS classes are preparing to finish up research papers and projects and study for the final exams and all of that? And if I know that the USAS library is crowded on the weekend, you sure as hell know it."

"I just came in and sat down," Hollen answered with a far too mild smile.

"I don't believe you."

"Well, I did. There were even people sitting here when I first sat down. They all just happened to think of something to do within a few minutes of my arrival."

Harry frowned slightly. He'd seen people tread carefully enough around Hollen that it could have been just that simple; he had also seen Hollen act irritating enough to send people scurrying away.

Hollen moved his crackers to the other side, away from Harry's work. "You should finish up your math."

Harry shifted his legs under him more comfortably and pulled his book closer to finish his homework. He was aware of Hollen nibbling on a graham cracker and watching him, but didn't pay it any attention. He was also aware of discrete and not-so-discrete glances from much of the room, but he didn't pay that any attention either.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Hollen asked.

"You could keep your voice down some," Harry told him distractedly, flipping back through the example problems in the book. "We _are_ in a library."

"So? As if you're one to talk."

"Keep your voice down. And I'm here because I was down in the LO area doing mysterious Jamie things-"

"I don't even have clearance to go down there whenever I please," Hollen interrupted, giving him a very intense look. "Just what do you do when you visit Laboratory Operations?"

"Mysterious Jamie things," Harry told him with a grin. "Just like I said. And while I was doing mysterious Jamie things, Sunny got a call and he had to go do mysterious Sunny things. Well, he couldn't very well just leave me to my own devices, so he shooed me over this way to do some homework, and here I am."

Hollen's intense focus softened to something more normal and he gave a careless shrug. "It's a curious state of affairs when a ten-year-old is such a common sight in the Auror library that hardly anyone gives you a second glance."

Harry put his pencil down slowly and turned to Hollen. "Eleven."

"Hm?"

"I'm eleven. And you know it. And not only am I eleven, but I'm almost twelve. And you're invited to my birthday party."

"Are you- What?"

"Eleven, almost twelve, you invited to birthday party." Harry turned back to his homework. "Invitations should be going out soon. I'm so letting Mom and Sunny and the rest of the PDs work this one out."

"I'm invited to- wait, what? PDs?"

"Pottery Defenders," Harry said with a grin, looking back at Hollen. "I went through some first drafts – Pottery Aurors, Potter Defenders – but I think Pottery Defenders has a nice ring to it. And being able to just say 'the PDs' certainly makes it nice and tidy."

"Pottery Defenders? Are you talking about your bodyguards?"

"Yep. Even though some people I call PDs, like Green, aren't technically really bodyguards."

"Right, whatever. Birthday party?"

"Yeah. You're invited. So don't forget the RSVP."

"Why on earth would I want to go to your birthday party?"

"Because it's me and I'm made of awesome?" Harry asked cheekily.

Hollen raised his brows.

"I don't know." Harry shrugged. "We're inviting lots of Aurors for the third day part. We're doing that whole big traditional whatever thing."

"I see. So I'm just a part of a mass invite?"

Harry reached out to pat Hollen's hand with a teasing smile. "Don't feel bad. I had to make sure your name was included. They forgot you for some reason. I can't imagine why."

"No, I can't imagine," Hollen said dryly.

"Aside from the fact that you go out of your way to make people not want to invite you to anything, of course."

"You know, I think you get more forthright the longer you know someone."

"Well, of course. I'm not going to start acting shyer as I get to know someone better. That's just silliness."

"About as silly as me getting invited to a twelve-year-old's birthday party," Hollen snorted.

"About as silly as being invited to Harry Potter's birthday party?"

"Hm. That's right, you are Harry Potter. It's easy to lose the Harry Potter behind the massive amounts of cheeky brat."

"Thank you!"

Hollen gave a snort of laughter. "I don't know if that's really a compliment."

"Then your indecision is my gain and I win."

Hollen outright laughed. "You're something else, kid."

"Mmhm. So, think you'll come?"

"I don't know."

"We're going to have live music. Real bands and stuff. Terry seriously knows some awesome people."

"Terry?"

"Terrence Macree."

"Is there anyone you don't know, kid?"

"It seems likely, seeing as how there're five point four billion people in the world. I'm still only eleven."

"And how do you know that? Five point four?"

"Suntree told me."

"Hm. And you always believe what Sunshine tells you?"

"Suntree."

"That's what I said."

"No. It isn't. You said Sunshine."

"Sunshine, Suntree, doesn't matter."

"Suntree."

"So you always believe what he says?"

"I'm not answering that until you get his name right." Harry turned back to his homework.

"Fine by me." Hollen plucked a book from his pile, opening it randomly. Harry managed to finish three more math problems, and Hollen managed to turn no pages in the book before Hollen pushed the book away and looked over again. "Fine. Suntree."

"Thank you. Yes." Harry put the pencil down. "I mean, I know that he might not be entirely correct every single time, but he'll at least be reasonably close."

"Do you really think so?"

"I do."

"Don't know much about him, do you?"

"I know enough," Harry said a little curtly.

Hollen smirked. "Have I touched a nerve?"

"Only the nerve connected to being irritated with people who make misleading statements to cause trouble."

"Touchy."

Harry gave him a look and turned back to his math.

"You're the one who sat down at my table, you know."

"And this is where I'll stay. My table has long since been claimed." Harry glanced over. "Funny how no one has sat down with you since your first tablemates left."

"I can't imagine why," Hollen said blandly.

"Whatever." Harry sat back and rubbed his eyes, then forced himself to stop and just rested his hands over his eyes for a moment.

"Something wrong?" Hollen asked, sounding little more than curious.

"I'm trying to get used to these contacts. My eyes feel weird itchy."

"Magical adjustment ones?"

"Yeah." Harry sighed. "They're almost not worth it."

"Here, stop that." Hollen pushed his hands away and turned Harry's face toward him with a brisk, heavy movement. He leaned in to study Harry's eyes closely. Harry realized that Hollen's violet eyes were actually several shades of dark and light purple in hazy rings with dashes of silver throughout.

"Are your eyes really that color?"

"No," Hollen told him curtly.

"Oh."

"Close your eyes."

Harry frowned a little, but closed his eyes slowly. A moment later fingertips ghosted gently over his eyelids and brushed lightly beneath his eyes. The strange, itching discomfort disappeared almost altogether. The light touches stopped.

"Hey, wow!" Harry opened his eyes with a grin. "That worked great. Thanks."

Hollen half grunted acknowledgement, attention back on the book in front of him like he'd never looked away.

Harry studied the books curiously. "What are you doing, anyway?"

"Research."

"Imagine that." Harry rolled his eyes.

Hollen's mouth twitched, though he remained neutral. "Research on blood curses and negative-impact rituals that involve blood and sacrifice."

"Negative-impact?"

"Negative-impact is what another country might term as dark or bad or evil. It's something that has the intention of having negative effect on a person, place or thing, rather than being a neutral or positive effect."

Harry eyed the books with more interest. Their dark covers now seemed a hundred times more mysterious and inviting; he itched to glance through one just for a few minutes.

"Never looked at anything like it?" Hollen asked with some surprise. "With how often you've been in this library? Usually unsupervised, from what I gather."

"I wouldn't be allowed."

"There's an entire section of this stuff on the theory shelves. I doubt anyone would notice."

"I'm still not allowed. Just because no one's watching over my shoulder doesn't mean I should start breaking rules."

"A troublemaker like you?"

"Listen, I only make trouble when it's necessary or when it's not a big deal, okay?"

Hollen raised his brows with a highly skeptical look on his face.

"Or when I know I can talk myself out of getting into trouble," Harry admitted after a few moments. "Or when I'm two thousand million percent sure that there's absolutely no way I could get caught."

"Now that I believe."

"But seriously, by and large, I really only make trouble when it's necessary or no big deal." Harry pointed his pencil at him. "I know I'm not allowed to look at certain things, and if I get caught, I'll get in big trouble. Even more than that, they won't trust me anymore. They leave me alone in places like this because they know they can trust me to not do stuff they wouldn't approve of, so I have to not do that stuff to keep their trust."

"I daresay Sunshine wouldn't approve of your sitting here talking to me," Hollen murmured.

"Tough. It's not a rule. And even if it was, some rules are made to be broken. Or at least bent to hell and back."

"Tsk, tsk, such language."

"Whatever. As if."

"Hm." Hollen turned his attention to the book in front of him, flipping through pages.

"What are you researching that stuff for anyway?"

"For a friend."

"Ah." Harry looked back to his homework.

"Which is a lie, of course," Hollen said just as Harry was finishing a second problem.

Harry looked over at him. "What? You're not researching it for a friend?"

"No. I'm double checking something for an assignment I worked last year."

"Ah." Harry was halfway through his next problem when he realized how odd that word choice had been. "'A lie, of course'? What do you mean, 'of course'?"

"It rather implies that I have friends to research something for."

Harry put down his pencil slowly. "Everyone has friends…"

"No they don't."

"Then who do you spend time with when you're not working?"

"I don't. I'm working."

"All the time?"

"Sometimes I go shopping," Hollen said with a shrug. "I sleep, I eat. I redecorate my office and visit spas." His magical aura darkened and twisted tensely, though his outward expression and manner remained offhand and disinterested. "I go to bars every so often."

"And you don't-"

"Hey Jamie, Sunny sent me to- holyshit… oh, uh, yeah, no, I didn't… Hi…"

Harry looked to the other end of the table where Al was standing, very visibly tense and wide-eyed as he stared at them. Harry could feel beneath the surface of that, when he made a little effort to focus just on Al, that his magical self was a tangle of fear, worry, uncertainty, discomfort, uneasiness and other spiky little things.

"Holyshit is generally someone's cue to make haste and be gone from my sight," Hollen remarked with cool amusement, turning entirely back to the table and pulling the book close. "I'm sure we'll see each other next week. Work on your crappy shield response time in the meantime. I'm not going to go easy on you. I don't care how busy you claim you were."

"You never do," Harry muttered, stacking up his books and shoving them in his backpack. "Listen-"

"I'm busy," Hollen interrupted shortly. "Some of us actually have important work to do."

Harry slid out of the chair and finished zipping up his backpack, then turned to Hollen. "You're an asshole," Harry informed him, then threw his arms around Hollen in a quick, tight hug when Hollen half turned toward him. He pulled back, shouldered his backpack and left without another word, Hollen staring after him in confusion.

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IMPORTANT – See author note above – IMPORTANT


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: I would absolutely adore them and appreciate them beyond words.

Betas: Hugs to them all. For they are awesome. (And I can no longer remember who helped with what chapters specifically *hangs head*)

AN: New Chapter! Recovery is… recovery. Still broken, damn finger, and healing amazingly slowly, but I'm learning to type with it (aching pain woo fun). Sorry about not responding to any reviews, but they've meant a lot to me and I'm so glad everyone's being so very patient. All of the support has really kept me focused on working on this, and thus here it is! I hope it's not a big disappointment after all the wait. I ought to be able to respond to reviews now, so if you had questions or something, ask them again. And I can't tell you how much all of your reviews has kept me focused on this story and wanting to get the next chapter out as soon as possible! It's really been a big help. Hugs to everyone!

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 34

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"Mooom! Sunny made me eat raw fish!"

Laney looked up from the television, mouth twitching as Harry stomped into the room and stopped, arms crossed, to glare at Suntree. Suntree simply looked like Suntree. "I'm… assuming sushi?"

Harry put his hands on his hips. "You know about that stuff? And you didn't warn me? I had to learn about it by having it thrust most rudely onto me during an otherwise normal dinner experience?"

Laney rolled her eyes with a snicker, patting the couch. "Come over here, munchkin."

Harry scowled all the more. "I'm nearly as tall as you, Mom. I'm not a munchkin anymore."

Laney grinned. "You're not quite there yet, young man."

"I'm five-two, Mom. It's just four more inches."

"But it's an important four inches. And besides, as long as you're my son, you'll be my little munchkin."

Harry groaned. "Mom. I'm almost twelve. That's so not cool."

"Munchkin, munchkin, munchkin." Laney laughed. "I'll keep saying it until you come over here."

Harry huffed and trudged over with all the manner of being forced against his will. Once he reached her, though, he leaned down to give her a quick hug before plopping down next to her, curling up against her side a little.

"So what's this about sushi?" Laney asked curiously.

"We went out for Japanese and I ordered sushi," Suntree explained, coming further into the room and leaning against the back of the couch. He smiled a little. "He asked what it was, I told him-"

"He told me ingredients, Mom," Harry cut in indignantly. "He didn't, I repeat, he did not even once hint that it wasn't cooked."

"And he tried some," Suntree continued. "And he liked it."

Harry glared.

Laney tried to cough back a laugh, and then gave up and just laughed. "He liked it?" She looked over at Harry. "You liked it?"

Harry drew himself up with as much dignity as he could. "I said that it was sort of okay in a really weird, wrong, strange, raw fish kind of way."

"Technically-"

"Don't you technically at me, Suntree," Harry said, abandoning the dignity to return to indignant glaring. "You can't technically yourself out of this."

"You act as if I've done something wrong," Suntree remarked with a glimmer of infuriatingly mild amusement.

"Raw fish," Harry countered.

"Does not a successful argument make," Suntree returned. "And technically, as I was saying, sashimi is raw fish and sushi is raw seafood, and I didn't technically have any fish in the special rolls I ordered."

Harry made a face. "Raw!"

"And he liked it," Suntree told Laney. "Right up until he found out what it was."

Harry muttered something unintelligible.

"Jamie." Laney kissed the top of his head with great fondness. "Oh, Jamie, my silly, strange, wonderful son."

Harry peered up at her through his bangs. "It sounds like you're getting ready to say something that'll make me feel foolish."

"Because I am." She kissed his nose. "My dear son, you have no problems drinking down foul tasting Potions made from the most disgusting ingredients imaginable. And something as simple as sushi is bothering you?"

Harry stared at her and then groaned, hiding his face against her shoulder. He mumbled something and shook his head when Laney made a curious noise.

"I tried to point that out," Suntree said with amusement. "But he kept 'la la la-ing' at me."

Laney laughed and curled her fingers through the hair covering the back of Harry's neck. "Someone needs a haircut."

Harry mumbled something else.

"What was that? You'd like sushi for dinner?"

"Not funny, Mom." Harry huffed and settled at her side, giving Suntree a momentary doleful look before looking back at Laney. "I said I like it longer. It doesn't stick up everywhere when it's longer."

"Your father had that same problem, you know."

"What'd he do about it?"

Laney grinned. "Gave up."

"Real encouraging, Mom." Harry rolled his eyes.

"And Lily still tried to tame it," Laney said with a bittersweet smile. "She'd come out armed with a bag of hair products and her wand and it'd hardly ever make a difference."

Harry snorted a little. "I bet that was a sight."

"Definitely," Laney agreed. "But, everything else aside, how'd things go at the hospital?"

"Great."

Laney waited for more, then gave up and jostled Harry. "And? You can babble for an hour about a new broom and all the answer I get to that is 'great'?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. It was just great. Things worked out."

Laney looked at Suntree. "And?"

"And the hospital has decided that they'll do what the USAS has done – put him into their system as a specialist based on his ability to manipulate magic. They're hoping that he'll be able to actually remove curse magic and similar things if he can get to it before it sets in, instead of just trying to soothe and weaken the effects like he's been doing with John."

"It's made a world of difference for John, even if he'll always have that curse remnant in his leg." Laney remarked.

"Oh, definitely," Suntree agreed. "The curse doesn't cause him as many problems with Jamie un-kinking the magic every so often, so to speak. But anyway, today went well. Jamie'll get his own employee badge and have access to the offices, lounges, locker room, all that. It'll mainly just be in the law enforcement section of the hospital, since that's where he'd be needed anyway. But they pretty much did what I figured they'd do. It protects the hospital, it protects Jamie, it protects the USAS, it protects the patients…" Suntree shrugged. "Winning all around."

"That's right," Harry put in distractedly, eyes on the television. "Winning all around, lots of winning."

"The actual process won't start until he turns twelve. There are old laws in place saying that the age of twelve is when an adolescent can lend their wand abilities to some need in the community. And there's a precedent in place, as well, several in fact, of young people around his age with an unusual ability working with a local hospital."

"Lots of presidents," Harry added, attention still focused on _Dinosaurs_. "Tons. All over the place. Presidents coming out of our ears, there are."

"I said precedent, Jamie. Not president."

"Them, too, then."

Suntree snorted. "We just have to get him certified in first aid and emergency response before his birthday, magical and non-magical varieties. That won't be hard. He's already learned everything; he just hasn't taken the tests."

Laney waited to see if Harry had something to add, but he was paying too much attention to Robbie. "They better not think that he'll come any time they call him now that-"

"They won't," Suntree interrupted. "He's not at their beck and call, and they know it. We'll sit down and go over everything with you tonight and again before it becomes official, but the long and short of it is that if someone gets hit with a curse that's designed to burrow into their magic and take root, Jamie might get a request to come in and take a look and help out a little. And if it's something that doesn't require immediate action and someone else can take care of, the hospital is well aware that we don't want them calling on Jamie just because he's closer, would be more skilled, could do it more easily or more quickly, or for any other reason than true need."

"Good. They'd best remember that."

"Though I rather imagine that they'll be interested in having him come in once a week, maybe every other week, something like that, to give him some additional instruction on using his ability and exploring general healing magic and things of that nature. No bad thing, really. That sort of instruction is useful no matter where he goes in life."

Laney nodded slowly. "I can see that." She ran her fingers through Harry's hair, prompting him to smile a little and lean more heavily into her side. "But when he starts school-"

"I know. School and homework, Jamie and family time, extra lessons with his PDs, and then everything else comes last."

"Good."

"In other news," Suntree said after a brief silence, "the kid's finally got the knack of shutting down his over-awareness of magic."

Laney frowned. "I'd rather gotten the impression that his loss of that feeling is what caused him to be irritable and-"

"No, he's not shutting down his 'oneness', as he calls it." Suntree shook his head. "He has the ability to sense the magic that's just a part of the world, the magic that's everywhere like air, and then he has the ability to extend his own magical awareness, his magical aura, beyond the natural barrier that most people have. That's what he's learned to shut down, or not so much shut down as he's learned how to hold those barriers where they should be. Now he won't always automatically be sensing the magical auras of people physically within the right range or upset enough to project, and he won't be picking up the little flares of magic that happen around him or noticing magical objects around him."

"Ah."

"Of course, he'll be able to use that sense when he wants by relaxing his hold on the barrier. And for right now, his control isn't anywhere near perfect. He's still learning how to hold it without having to think about it, and he's still learning how to know what kinds of magic to instinctively always pick up, like someone throwing a spell at him, and how to ignore everything else, and how to filter for certain things and not others, but for the most part he has the basics of shielding down and it should hold for everyday things."

"That sounds like a good thing."

Suntree nodded agreement.

"You know," Harry said a little absently, "Robbie's kind of cute, for a dinosaur."

Laney laughed. "I suppose he is."

Harry muted the television as the show ended, turning to look at Laney and Suntree curiously. "So, what'cha talking about?"

"Only the most important thing we'll ever teach you," Suntree said casually.

Harry perked up. "Yeah?"

"How to sing the national anthem in Pig Latin, of course."

Harry threw a pillow at him.

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"He's fine," Hollen snapped irritably, watching Suntree hover over Harry on his knees, with a concerned look. "You don't interfere like this when he's working with other people."

Suntree focused a look on Hollen that spoke volumes about how he wasn't interfering as much as he'd like. Hollen's fingers twitched around his wand. Harry snagged a handful of Suntree's shirt and pulled down as hard as he could, startling Suntree enough that he dropped his wand. "What-?"

"Fine. Breath knocked out. Fine." Harry gave the shirt another jerk, and then used the shirt to pull himself into a sitting position before letting go, leaving the shirt stretched out. "Stop."

Suntree reached for his wand. "Let me run a scan-"

"I'm fine," Harry cut in firmly, summoning Suntree's wand with a jerk of his hand and pulling away, holding it close to his side. "It was a freakin' tripping jinx, Suntree. I tripped. I fell on my back. The breath was knocked out of me. Chill. Out."

"We're done for the day," Hollen said shortly.

Suntree stood. "Fine."

"Hey, no." Harry turned a glare on Hollen and then muted it down to a mildly displeased expression after catching a flicker of turmoil in Hollen's magical aura. Harry relaxed his hold on his magical awareness to take a better peek at Hollen's aura; he found it muddy, heavily stressed and doing something almost like cracking at the edges.

"No?" Hollen said coolly, hand tensing on his wand.

"We still have over half an hour left to our usual meeting time," Harry said more calmly. "Maybe we could just discuss theory?"

"Davish said you were done for the day," Suntree said briskly. "So-"

"Theory sounds just fine," Hollen cut in, jerking his wand in the opposite direction. Suntree tensed, reaching for but not pulling his second wand. Hollen didn't seem to notice as he stalked over to the black paisley armchair that had appeared at his wand jerk. When he reached the chair, he stopped to give it a kick with a disgusted look. "Why the fuck is it always paisley?" he muttered, dropping into it and slouching down. He kicked out at the air and a matching footrest appeared.

Harry eyed Suntree a moment before calmly crossing the training room, stopping at the footrest and giving Hollen's feet a little nudge out of the way to perch on the side of it. Hollen simply stared at Harry wordlessly, expression neutral but hard. Harry eventually gave the foot nearest to him a little jiggle, making Hollen start. "Well?" Harry prompted.

"You're the one that wanted to discuss theory," Hollen told him. "And stop touching me before I kick you."

Harry studied Hollen's magic before deciding that Hollen probably would kick him. Not hard, but still a kick. And then Suntree would yell at Hollen. Hollen would probably try to curse Suntree. Things would only go down from there. He pulled his hand away from Hollen's foot and shrugged. "I didn't have anything in mind."

"So it's up to me to come up with something?" he asked flatly. "This was your idea. I could be doing better things."

"Like what?"

"Washing my hair."

Harry eyed the electric blue strands falling around Hollen's face. Despite the last rough, tumbling, spell tossing, sweating forty minutes, the hair looked the same as it had when they'd begun. "Looks pretty good to me."

Hollen stared at him, black eyes giving nothing away. After several moments he began to almost idly tap his wand against his thigh.

"So, what else?" Harry prompted, noticing the odd prickles against his magic that came from being in close contact with Hollen's magic for an extended period of time. The prickles were happening much sooner than they usually did today.

"Eating a muffin," Hollen said at last.

"Hungry?"

"No."

"Then why would you eat a muffin?"

"Because it's a muffin. They're made to be eaten."

Harry thought about that. "I can't fault the logic."

"Of course you can't. It's mine. Shut up, Sunshine, no one wants your opinion."

Harry glanced around to see Suntree giving Hollen a hard stare.

"What is up with you two?" Harry asked after a handful of seconds. "Seriously."

Hollen grunted and Suntree said nothing, only moved to the far wall, just at the edge of Harry's vision.

"Anyway, what's up with you today?" Harry asked, turning his attention entirely back to Hollen as he nudged Hollen's leg. "Last time you were practically dancing and today you're doom and gloom. Did you have a bad night or something? Some sort of family problem."

"That's none of your business," Hollen said tersely.

"I didn't say it was my business; I was just asking."

"Don't."

"All right. Is that a 'don't ask' today, or a 'don't ask' for forever?"

"Don't."

"Ookay. Are you okay, though? I noticed some sort of mark on your wrist earlier."

Hollen stilled, eyes flicking to his wrist. A second later he twitched his hand and shifted his arm, pulling his sleeve down enough to cover his wrist. A moment later he stood abruptly, almost like he'd been jerked up by strings, kicking Harry's knee in the movement. He hesitated for barely a second, eyes dropping to Harry's knee for a moment before half scowling. "You shouldn't make a habit of looking under Glamours just because you can," he said harshly.

Harry looked up at him, startled. "Glamour? Well, I certainly didn't mean to-"

"I'm leaving. I have better things to do." He strode toward the door.

Harry twisted around in surprise to watch him go, only to yelp when the footstool suddenly disappeared from under him. The chair followed. "Oww."

Hollen looked back with a faint frown, seeming almost concerned for a moment before his hard expression returned.

"It just disappeared," Harry said with a shrug, pushing to his feet. He made his way over to Suntree and his waiting bottle of water.

"Perhaps you shouldn't sit on other people's furniture without permission," Hollen told him, turning to leave. At the door, he turned back, pulled his wand and flicked it at Suntree; Suntree's stretched shirt returned to normal. Harry grabbed Suntree's wand just in time, dropping the water in the process. "That was driving me fucking crazy." Hollen was out the door before Suntree could respond.

"Jamie-"

"Don't start with me," Harry interrupted. "It was a freaking grooming charm. It sparkled."

Suntree frowned deeply. "He shouldn't treat you-"

"He didn't do it on purpose. He was obviously upset."

"And that spell could have been anything and-"

"No." Harry picked up his water. "It felt like the smell of fresh laundry. It couldn't have been 'anything'." Harry turned and left the room before Suntree could respond.

* * *

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* * *

"So, this is what you call teaching the kid magic?"

Harry glanced up at Tony and then back to Cam's nails. Cam grinned. "He's learning magic."

"He's learning how to paint your fingernails."

"He's learning how to paint designs on fingernails," Cam corrected, leaning in to study the swirls and starbursts Harry was carefully applying with little brush dabs and murmured words. The little drops of paint spread themselves out, twisting and turning into shape.

"I don't see the difference." Tony came over to look at her nails.

"Designs take very fine control to do, especially wandless. The vehicle may be nail painting, but the lesson is in fine control, precise wording and attention to detail."

Tony slid his hands into his pockets while he thought about that. "So in other words… you get to pretend you're teaching him while he paints your nails."

"I think 'pretend' is a bit of a strong word. If you don't think he's learning something, why don't you go ahead and give it a try?"

"I won't be tricked into painting your nails."

"We're also talking theory," Cam huffed.

"The theory behind painting nails, perhaps?"

"Knock it off, you two," Harry broke in. "This is harder than it looks, and it definitely does require a lot of precise magic, especially when you start adding in a second and third color. But I agree, as valuable a lesson this is in precision magic, it's just a thinly veiled excuse for Cam to get her nails painted."

"So, what kind of theory are you discussing?"

"Actually, I was just dragging some stories out of Cam about her job," Harry said, putting the top back on the bottle of nail polish and opening a second bottle filled with protective potion. "When I've asked her what she does in the past, she's always just told me tracking, subtle takedown stuff, undercover work, blah, blah. But I think I've got a clearer picture now."

Tony sprawled out on the couch behind Harry, propping his feet up on the edge of the coffee table. "So what did you learn?"

"Tony, if you don't get your feet away from my carrot sticks, I'm going to paint your toenails pink and put a perma-stay charm on them." Tony's feet dropped to the floor quickly. "Thank you. And I learned that Cam prettifies herself, acts like a silly, simpering blonde, gets bad guys to act like guys and then she pulls out the Rambo Barbie when they least expect it. Without the massive bloodshed and violence because, you know, she might break a nail or something."

Cam scowled at Harry. "That's a bit much."

Harry gave her a sweet look. "And what story did you just finish telling me?"

Cam scowled even more. "Okay, fine, the essence of it is true. But I wouldn't put it quite that way."

"Oh, and apparently she, like, talks to bad guys and gets them to spill secrets and stuff with her awesome girl powers."

Cam sighed. "And here's such a nice opportunity for me to say something like 'just see how your next girlfriend reacts to those kinds of comments', but you had to go and like boys."

"So sorry." Harry closed the potion bottle. "There, done. Let them dry without magic, though. The protectant will be stronger."

"Hmm…" Cam studied her nails. "I think you need a little more lesson work. I'll be kind and let you try it again on my toes."

Harry gave her an amused look. "I don't think so."

"Ah well."

Harry twisted around to look at Tony. "So, come with." Harry stood and gathered up the napkin his carrots were on.

Tony lifted his brows with amusement. "Am I at your beck and call now?"

Harry put a hand on his hip and gave Tony an expectant look.

"Right, fine." Tony pushed himself up and threw Cam a mock salute before following Harry down the hall to his bedroom. "Hey." He looked around; there seemed to be several feet of extra space on the left side of the room. "Your room's bigger…?"

"I've been working on space layering." Harry sprawled out on his bed, setting his carrot sticks down on the nightstand, nudging out a space between his troll dolls and Ninja Turtle action figures. "It's ridiculously difficult, but now that I've figured out how to cheat, it's gotten much easier."

Tony pulled his wand and summoned the large armchair from the corner of the room, directing it to a spot next to the bed to sprawl. "You can cheat on space layering? I wouldn't think that possible." Tony glanced around the room. "It looks good in here, by the way. The couple of extra feet make the room seem less crowded."

"Yep." Harry grinned. "I'm aiming for me, mind you. But learning will be a slow process, even for me."

"So, again, you can cheat on space layering?"

Harry snickered. "I can, at least."

"Always gotta be special, huh?"

Harry stuck out his tongue. "Anyway, since magic has a sort of awareness thing – not like, 'hey, how you been, what's new with the family?' kind of awareness, of course, but sort of… it's almost something like an instinctive awareness, something not thinking but intelligent." Harry shrugged. "Anyway, since it's got that awareness, I can sort of ask magic to help me out."

"Like how?"

"Well, with space layering, you take a lot of individual spells and kind of weave them together into one large web or blanket of spells, and it takes a lot of talent and effort and concentration because you have to cast each spell but cut it off right before it completes and then hold that spell uncast against whatever surface you're working with as you cast the spell again. You do that over and over until you have enough spells to do what you want. So that involves having a lot of almost cast spells you're trying to hold taut and still casting more spells, all of them linked together by small threads of magic. Follow?"

"Mm, yes. I do know the basics of how space layering works, even if I'm not the best at it."

"Right. So that's it. Instead of having to hold all of those spells myself because of the way I do magic, I can have ask magic to just sort of stay in place, to hold itself, and that let's me concentrate more on the actual spells. So I'm sort of cheating." Harry laughed. "And it's great being able to put together spells that I shouldn't still be able to do for at least several more years."

"You ought to be used to that by now," Tony said with a grin.

"Oh, I am. Doing magic the Magurist way totally rocks."

"It seems to." Tony snickered. "Even if there are drawbacks that get you in trouble."

Harry groaned. "You heard about that?"

"As if we don't know of everything you do," Tony said dryly. "You start cussing out a bowl of grapefruit because you can't peel them with magic and your mother walks in and you think we wouldn't have heard about that?"

Harry grumbled and bit down into a carrot stick with a loud crunch. "I can peel apples and oranges and tangerines! Do you have any idea of how frustrating it is for some spells to just inexplicably not work?"

"I can imagine that it'd be rather frustrating."

"Rather."

"Still. Your mother says she was shocked by some of the things that came out of your mouth." He raised his brows.

"Do you have any idea how much crap comes out of Aurors' mouths without them ever seeming to realize it?"

"Yes, I rather do. Still. We don't let you cuss like that."

"Bullshit you don't."

Tony opened his mouth, then closed it and sprawled further down into the chair. "Don't think I won't jump all over you if you do that around one of them that cares," he warned.

"Do I look stupid?"

Tony eyed him closely.

Harry gave him a look. "Don't even think about answering that."

"Of course we heard about you cussing out a bowl of grapefruit," Tony put in with a snort. "If nothing else, Laney tells us so we know if you're not supposed to do something. Like watch TV for a week and go flying."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Keep a secret?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"The secret."

"Nothing bad." Harry shrugged.

"Still."

"Just about being grounded from TV and all that. And no, I'm not sneaking in TV or anything."

"What's the secret?"

"Promise you won't say."

"I'll consider promising after I hear the secret."

Harry snorted. "Don't think so, buster."

Tony laughed. "Promise."

"It doesn't bug me that much. I mean, seriously, if she took it away for a month or something, I'd not like that at all. But I've just got so much crap to do, not watching TV for a week doesn't bug me that much. I can just read a book or go outside in the woods and talk to some snakes or get some extra schoolwork done or drag one of you people into a game of some kind or so many other things."

"What about no broom for a week?"

Harry shrugged a little. "I don't like that, I admit. But still, I have to look at it logically. Sometimes I can go a week or ten days or whatever without flying because I'm busy with other things. Really, I've got so much I can do, it's not like I'd be in here lying in bed just staring at a wall bored out of my mind."

Tony considered him. "And you don't mind missing when Quidditch or Quodpot games are on?"

Harry grinned. "No."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Who's recording them for you?"

"No one," Harry said smugly.

"Who's recording them for themselves and keeps them long enough for you to watch them?"

"Green. Of course."

"Of course," Tony echoed.

"Mmhm."

"So, oh master of the universe, you summoned me to your domain for a reason?"

Harry munched on a carrot stick, giving Tony an expectant look.

"What? Oh, right." Tony propped his feet up on the bed frame. "Just let it go, kid. Sunny's being damned stubborn about Davish. I'll go with you for a while."

"Yeah, but what's the issue? That's what I want to know."

"You haven't asked Sunny?"

"Of course I've asked Suntree. He just shakes his head at me and gives me that look, that Suntree look. You know, the Suntree look?"

"We all know the Suntree look. The all knowing, all wise, Zen master look."

"Exactly. He gave me the Suntree look. So what the hell is up with him and Hollen?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't entirely know, and what I do know, I can't say. It's not mine to tell. And Davish himself might not even know what it is. He doesn't seem to consider his day well spent if he hasn't irritated, upset or pissed off at least one person."

Harry sighed. "Well, whatever the hell is going on with them, I wish they'd just get over it. It's probably completely ridiculous and unforgivably adult-type dumb."

"Adult-type dumb?" Tony asked with amusement, pulling a beaded necklace from his pocket to play with.

"Yes. Adult-type dumb. That's stressing out over crap that's really not that important in the long run. And you better not lose that necklace. And even more, you better stop rifling through my room. My room is not a pocket to be picked."

"Touchy." Tony studied the dark green stones. "Listen, wildcat… Try not to get too chummy with Davish."

"What? Why?" Harry narrowed his eyes. "I thought you didn't mind Hollen."

"I don't." Tony half smiled, looking up. "He's an all right kind of guy, I guess, once you get past the fact he's a mean bastard."

"Then why shouldn't I get chummy with him?"

"Just…"

"Aki's a right mean bitch and she never apologizes when she hurts me, just smirks, and no one has told me not to get chummy with her."

Tony chuckled. "Just be careful, I guess. Davish's moods change quickly. If he suddenly loses interest in you, don't take it personally."

Harry eased back on his shielding to take a look at Tony's magical aura. "There's more to it than that. I can tell."

"You're looking at my magic, aren't you? You know you're not supposed to do that," Tony told him mildly. "It's an invasion of privacy. It's covered in your healer agreement."

"I haven't signed anything. And it doesn't apply until I'm twelve, anyhow."

"I see." Tony snorted. "That's a bit of a technicality."

"But an important one."

"You're on shaky ground ethically."

"You're trying to change the subject."

Tony shook his head, looking amused. "Yes, there's more. But none of it's mine to say."

Harry sighed and shrugged. "Whatever."

Tony glanced around the room, then stopped to stare at a shirt peeking out of a half closed dresser drawer. "What the…?" He snagged the shirt and turned it over in his hands, staring at it, before looking up at Harry, eyebrows high. "What the hell is this?"

Harry contently munched on a carrot stick as he eyed the pink shirt with the word 'Princess' written in shimmery letters. He shrugged. "Cam's idea of a joke. She kept teasing me about being a pretty princess when I stole her lip gloss. Just to use," Harry explained as Tony's eyebrows climbed even higher, "because I couldn't find any chapstick. But you know… that lip gloss stuff is a hell of a lot nicer than chapstick. It was delicious, in fact."

"But the shirt; why?"

"I told you; it was a joke."

"Why do you still have it?"

Harry gave him an 'isn't it obvious' look. "It's not my fault it's a comfortable shirt."

"So you _wear_ it?"

Harry shrugged. "Around the house."

Tony shifted to stuff the shirt back in the drawer, then pulled it out and tucked it back in nicely when Harry tutted at him. "You're weird."

"And this is news?" Harry held out a carrot stick. "Have a tasty, good for you snack."

"Weird." Tony accepted the carrot and settled back in the chair.

* * *

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* * *

Harry sat up with a wince, cradling his throbbing arm against his chest.

"You were supposed to block that," Hollen remarked, coming over to look down at Harry, arms crossed.

"Well, it didn't work," Harry muttered.

"On your feet. Let's try that again."

Harry took a slow breath and looked up at Hollen. "No. We-"

"Excuse me?"

"No. We should move on."

"No. We're going to work on this until you get it."

"Well… I'm not going to. I'm not going to get it. It's not going to work."

"What? You're giving up?" Hollen half sneered. "Just because you're having trouble with something?"

"I don't give up." Harry pushed to his feet with another little wince. "But I know when to stop bashing my head needlessly against a wall in the hopes that the wall will move."

Tony came over, idly tapping his wand against his thigh as he considered Harry's swollen arm. "Got another dud?"

"Yeah." Harry winced as he moved his arm. "And it felt like it was going to work, too."

"Maybe it's a temporary dud? Like the blood clotting charm?"

"Maybe," Harry said dully. "Can you fix my arm?"

Tony lifted his wand and began to trace patterns above the arm.

"A dud?" Hollen asked. "Thought it was going to work? What's this about?"

"Um…"

"Jamie does magic like a Magurist," Tony explained. "They work with magic. You say a spell, think a spell, know the intent of a spell, whatever you do, but you take that and you direct it through your wand and you expect and demand that it work."

"Of course. It's called doing magic."

"Except…" Tony summoned a towel from the side of the room and spelled it hot before wrapping it around Harry's arm. "When a Magurist does magic, they don't do that. They feel the intent of the spell and they… present it to their wand, I guess you could say. Or they gather it at their fingertips. Or whatever they do with it. They form the intent and the spell and…"

"You break it," Harry put in. "We don't."

Hollen raised a brow. "Just what does that mean?"

"I mean… say there's a gate that you're running at. When a Magurist is doing magic, or running at the gate, it's kind of like they call out to the gate to open up a little. And most of the time, the gate does; it opens up and gives you a clearer path towards your goal. But sometimes, it doesn't really open up, like with that spell I was trying to do, and a Magurist veers off and doesn't force through the gate Whereas someone else just forces through the gate without bothering to coax it open."

"Why do you do that?"

Harry sighed a little. "Because… most of the time it's so much easier to work with magic and not against it. The more complex a spell is, the better it'll come out for a Magurist. They don't have to keep track of all of the tiny components of a spell; the magic does it for them. But the only reason it works is because a Magurist never imposes their will on magic."

"Can they?"

Harry moved to sit down on a tall pile of mats, rubbing his arm through the towel. "Sure. I'm capable of doing magic just like you. But I wouldn't. If I did, I'd lose the trust of magic, and half of the things I can do, I'd never be able to do again."

"How?"

"I… can't really say. Sorry."

"I've never seen you have any trouble before," Hollen remarked.

"Of course not. I know what spells to avoid and I do my best to find ways around them."

Hollen eyed him with an unreadable expression. "That could get you killed one day, not being able to do a spell when you need it."

"I really hope it won't come to that," Harry said quietly, pulling the towel off his arm and rubbing the last of the ache away.

* * *

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* * *

"It happened in a practice with Davish." Tony came the rest of the way into Suntree's room and sat at the end of the bed. "Another dud spell."

Suntree turned away from the letter he was writing to look at Tony, expression pensive.

"Why are you writing a letter with a quill?" Tony asked, studying the sleek feather with puzzlement.

"It doesn't matter." Suntree laid the quill down carefully and picked up a glass bottle of sand to sprinkle on the letter. "There goes our hope that it won't happen during a risky moment."

"I don't know," Tony said with a bit of a shrug. "It's really just practice, training, sparring, whatever. Jamie knows he's not really in danger. I imagine that the magic knows he's not really in danger. I don't know if we can take this as a definite sign that the magic will play fickle if he's in real need of a spell."

"I don't know if we can afford not to act as though it means that." Suntree tapped his fingers on the desk. "Maybe there's a reason why Magurists are typically more pacifist-minded," he said quietly.

"Maybe it's cultural," Tony countered.

"Maybe it's not."

Tony shrugged.

* * *

"How did Davish react?" Suntree asked mildly.

Tony shrugged again. "Puzzled and intrigued. I think he's going to do a lot of research on Magurists now."

"I think I ought to start attending these lessons again," Suntree murmured.

"Don't get all over Davish when you do."

"I won't if he behaves."

"Just come in quietly and observe, Sunny. There's nothing to worry about. He's good with Jamie."

Suntree fixed Tony with a steady look. "Have you ever seen Davish lose control?"

"I can't say I have."

"I can." Suntree got up and picked up the letter, giving it a little shake before he began to fold it carefully on a clean section of the desk. "And I remember it in vivid detail. I don't care how recovered the man is, I'll never forget the look in his eyes as he tried to gouge someone's eyes out."

"He won't hurt Jamie," Tony said quietly.

"I think he could if Jamie pushed him far enough."

"I think you're wrong."

* * *

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* * *

Harry saw it coming a split second before the curse hit him, pushing him back several feet and slamming him to the ground. His back hit the modified cushioning charm on the mats, giving him a little bounce and then settling him, but the force was still enough to knock the breath out of him. A moment later, Hollen loomed over him before pinning him down.

"You know," Hollen said conversationally, studying Harry in a disinterested sort of way, "you're pretty much dead right now."

Harry half glared at him.

"In the time it took for me to cover the several feet between us and pin you down, I could have fired three more spells at you. By the time someone can touch you physically, you're pretty much out of luck with magic. You have to learn to react. So what if the breath is knocked out of you? Learn how to roll."

"I'll remember that next time," Harry groused.

"In real life, there wouldn't be a next time."

"That's why this is _training_."

"You can let him up now."

Harry twisted his head enough to see Suntree leaning against the far wall beside Tony, arms crossed and mouth in a line. Hollen looked over as well, with a far too pleasantly surprised expression. "Why, Sunshine, you've decided to grace us with your presence again! It's been several weeks since you last growled at me. I was beginning to miss it."

"You can let him up now," Suntree repeated.

"Hmm… no, I don't think I will. We're having a nice little chat, you see. Be a good man and stop interrupting. It's terribly rude."

Tony reached out and laid a hand on Suntree's arm. Suntree's expression darkened, but he stayed where he was.

Hollen looked back to Harry with a smirk of a smile. "I so have missed him."

"Liar." Harry gave a little wriggle and tried to feel his way around the confinement spell Hollen had thrown onto his legs. With every spell there was always the one weak spot where the magic had been cut off from the wand; it was just a matter of finding it and cracking the spell open.

"Stop squirming about before I really hold you down," Hollen told him pleasantly. "Now, what have we learned from this lesson?"

"Roll out of the way if I go down."

"Excellent. What else?"

"Um… could you not hold my wrist like that? It kind of hurts."

Hollen lifted a brow. "You ought to be dead right now and you're complaining because your wrist kind of hurts?"

"You've made your point."

"I don't think I have."

"Davish," Suntree called out firmly. "Let him go."

Hollen turned his head, eyes shifting from violet gray to black. "No," he said after a moment of staring at Suntree, voice cool. "I don't think I will."

Harry lifted his shielding to get a look at Hollen's magic. It was in its usual state, and the only sort of emotion he felt from it was general bordering on positive. If he had to pin it down, he'd say amused.

"Davish-" Tony leaned in to murmur to Suntree, cutting off Suntree's words. Suntree gave Hollen a dark look afterward, but didn't say anything else.

"I can't think of anything else I should have learned from this," Harry said, drawing Hollen's attention back just as his magic found that tiny pinprick of imperfection in the spell and began to chip away at the weakness.

"Quite obviously, if you're about to be tackled, you really ought to fight back before someone gets a good hold on you. Weight is important in keeping someone on the ground, actual physical mass pinning the body, but it takes more thought and coordination to grab the hands, hold them down, pin the legs, so forth. Don't let someone get that far because if-" Hollen gave a start. "What are you doing?"

"What?"

The confinement spell that Harry had just wormed into snapped around his magic, tightening and forcing him out. Hollen was staring down at him with great, curious consideration. "Just what was that? Were you forcing my spell open? You can't do that without a wand. You can't do that on a spell cast on yourself. That takes a lot of work."

"Then I obviously wasn't doing it," Harry told him, brushing along the spell again with his magical awareness. But this time, the spell remained active, charged, still connected to Hollen. The spell began to feel sticky and squelchy against his magic the longer Hollen held it active.

"But you were."

"Obviously not."

"You were."

Harry hesitated. Hollen's voice had shifted from pleasantly curious to clipped and no-nonsense. "All right," he conceded. "I was. But that's all I can say."

"Hah." Hollen eyed him with strange calculation. "And you lied right to my face."

"Um…"

"Davish-"

"I'm not talking to you, Sunshine," Hollen interrupted, not looking away from Harry. "I'm talking to the kid. And kid, that was a pathetic lie, considering I could feel you doing it."

"Okay, it was a pathetic lie."

"I do believe that I'm not going to let you get away with that." He shifted his grip and Harry found both of his wrists being held by one surprisingly strong hand. Hollen considered him gravely enough that Harry was beginning to feel nervous; the nerves weren't helped in the least by a sudden shifting out of the corner of his eye. And then he burst out laughing at a light touch at his side.

"Hm. Quite ticklish, actually," Hollen observed, letting go of his wrists to attack Harry's other side. Harry tried to squirm away, laughing breathlessly. "My, my, this is quite the effective attack. I shall have to keep tickling charms in mind when I want to distract you."

"Don't you dare," Harry gasped.

"Oh, I'd dare."

Harry suddenly found his legs free and he began to kick and wriggle in earnest to get away, hindered by the need to fend off the questing hands. His counter attack only got a raised brow from Hollen.

"A good thing about morphing," Hollen said conversationally, "is that we can control that sort of response to tickling and other irritations- Hey now!" Hollen shifted away from Harry's flailing legs. "You almost got me in a place that I can't stop from being vulnerable."

"Please, stop, can't breathe, please…"

Hollen caught Harry's calves as Harry finally managed a real bid wriggling for freedom. As Hollen spelled Harry's shoes off and brushed his nails over the bottom of Harry's nearer foot, Harry's shrieks made Hollen give into laughter himself, a growing grin threatening to overtake his face.

"Stop! Can't breathe! Please! Stop!"

"Hmmm…" Hollen mounted one last mighty foot attack and then let Harry go. Harry wriggled away, gasping and giggling. Hollen sat up and smirked in Suntree's direction. Suntree stared back, one corner of his mouth lifted slightly; next to him, Tony was leaning against the wall, snickering.

"Oh God, oh Merlin, oh God, can't breathe…"

"It helps if you stop talking," Hollen remarked, picking up one of Harry's bright green sneakers liberally splattered with paint to study it curiously.

"Can't breathe… Need air… So not cool…"

"And yet he continues to talk," Hollen murmured. "Children are such strange creatures."

"I am so going to get you back," Harry muttered once he'd regained his breath enough not to be mocked.

Hollen gave him a politely curious look. "Me? I can't imagine why."

"Ha ha."

Hollen shifted to sit next to him. "And that is why you shouldn't lie to me," he told Harry sternly.

"I totally won't again, more or less kinda." Harry sprawled. "That was a relentlessly evil tickle attack, man."

"That would be because I'm relentlessly evil. I'm sure Sunshine would agree with me."

Harry glanced over at Suntree. Suntree raised a brow slightly. Harry looked back to Hollen. "Evil, man. Just evil."

"Hm…" Hollen seized his nearest hand and proceeded to gently bite and slobber all over Harry's fingers. "There."

"Aw, gross!" Harry jerked his hand away and wiped it on his shirt. "What the hell was that for?"

"Well, now you've been punished most evilly by me and I've slobbered all over your hand, in place of trying to gnaw it off," Hollen told him casually. "That was the most you'd have to worry about if I went crazy, I do recall. So now I've acted out all of my crazy, malicious, desires and you should be safe from now on. Think Sunshine will stop acting like an ass?"

"Probably not," Harry muttered. "Give me your wand."

Hollen turned a surprise look on Harry. "Excuse me?"

"Give me your wand. I want to do something and my wand is over there and you put an anti-summoning charm on it and it's your fault that I'm too tickled out to move. So give me your wand."

"I will not be held responsible for whatever's about to happen," Hollen warned him, holding out the wand.

"Fine." Harry took it.

"It never reacts well to other people."

"Mmhm." Harry nodded, a little distracted by the odd hum coming from the magic of the wand. It had the most active magic Harry had ever felt in a wand, all of it gently caressing and soothing.

"Are you actually going to do anything with it?" Hollen asked dryly.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Harry cast a mild cleaning charm on his shirt and then sat up in surprise when it went from gross, sweaty, slobbered on and wrinkled to clean, pressed and smelling faintly of lilac. "What the hell…?"

"What the hell indeed," Hollen echoed, grabbing the wand to look at it. "How did you do that spell? How the hell did you even know how to do that spell? That's my own variation on that spell. How did you know that?"

"Oh, er… your wand sort of knew it. I just asked it to help me out with a cleaning spell and that's what I got… I can't explain any more…"

Hollen stared at him.

"It was, uh, a good spell. Think you could teach it to me? Or at least teach me how to do that lilac thing at the end? Except maybe with coconut or something? Lilac isn't really my thing."

Hollen continued to stare at him.

"Can you maybe clean my hand if you're not going to let me have the wand again? Because seriously, slobbering on me was not cool. Do you know how yucky the human mouth is? A dog's mouth is cleaner."

That shook Hollen out of staring. "What? Dogs lick their own asses. How can their mouths be cleaner?"

Harry shrugged. "But they are. It's, like, all scientific and stuff." Harry held out his hand. "So, clean? Lilac optional."

Hollen tapped his Harry's hand with the wand.

Harry grinned. "Awesome! Thanks."

"Jamie, we better get going," Tony called out. "Your mom wants to take you out to that pizza place tonight."

"That's right. I'll take these, thank you. My awesome shoes." Harry snagged his sneakers from beside Hollen and pulled them on, muttering a tying charm over the green laces.

"Awesome?" Hollen asked, eyeing the heavily paint spattered sneakers with a raised brow.

"You can't do this sort of wild paint spattering awesomeness on purpose," Harry informed him. "This takes many a weekend of paintball to achieve."

Hollen snorted.

Harry gave him an expectant look. "Are you going to take that spell off of my wand?"

"Hm. Yes. Go ahead and get it for me." Harry got up to grab his wand and handed it to Hollen. Hollen considered it curiously as he tapped his wand against it to remove the anti-summoning spell. "Holly?"

Harry nodded. "And kneazle fur."

"Well, that explains a lot." Hollen handed it back.

"What's yours?" Harry asked, studying the polished black wand.

Hollen twirled the wand expertly, showing off the silver and copper threads in intricate circles on the handle. "Thirteen inches, ebony with silver and copper threading, the powdered tail spike of a Hungarian Horntail and slivers of petrified wood."

"Oh. That's- wow. That's quite a combination."

"Know something about wand-making?"

"No. But… that's a lot of odd stuff. What does it mean? I mean, it's a custom made wand, so what does it do for you?"

"Hm. No, I think I'll keep some secrets for a little while longer. You should run along now."

"And ebony is one of the most powerful woods; I know that much…"

"Off you go," Hollen said, casting several cleaning spells on himself. He slid his fingers through silvery purple hair, making it fall around his face strikingly. "Go on, then. Shoo. You have places to be." He waved his fingers to the door.

"All right." Harry rolled his eyes and leaned down to give Hollen a quick hug. Hollen didn't stiffen or freeze for once and even managed to pat him on the back. "Thanks. I'll see you next week."

"Mmhm."

Harry pulled away and couldn't resist tousling Hollen's hair. Hollen gave him an indignant look and set to putting it to rights immediately. "That's what you get for slobbering on me."

Hollen gave him a cool look, but his mouth turned up at the corners in a smile. "Away with you, demon child."

"Bye!" Harry half skipped over to the open door where Tony stood next to Suntree, who was lounging in the doorway with his arms crossed and an unreadable look on his face. "Come on, peoples," Harry told them, snagging Tony's wrist as he pushed Suntree out of the doorway and into the hallway. "Pizza tonight. We are so getting spinach…"

* * *

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* * *

Harry stretched out again and bounced to his feet, giving himself a little shake to loosen up. Hollen stood as well, giving Harry the critical once over he always did after they took a break. After a moment, he nodded, confirming that he found Harry in good enough condition to continue the lesson.

Harry stepped back onto the mats and gave one last shake as Hollen stepped into position across from him. Harry gave a nod that he was ready to continue, and then held up a stilling hand, glancing over at Suntree with a faint frown, feeling an odd prickle of magic.

Suntree raised his brows. "Yes? I don't recall saying anything."

"Just…" Suntree's pager went off. "There."

Suntree snorted and pulled it off his belt, mouth pursed as he scrolled through the message. Harry watched Suntree, but he could feel Hollen's eyes intently on him.

"Hm. Something's come up that I have to handle." Suntree looked up. "It looks like only a half lesson today. I need to drop you off at the downstairs office; I don't have time to ferry you home. Gloria should be in and she'll keep an eye on you while I handle this."

"You know…" Hollen shifted, body turning towards Suntree some. "I'm sometimes mistaken as a responsible adult. You don't have to rush him off to have someone else keep an eye on him. I'm here and my afternoon is free."

Suntree gave Hollen a guarded look. "He should stay with someone he's more familiar with."

Hollen raised his brows slightly. "I daresay he's familiar with me at this point."

"It's standard procedure for one of his PDs to be present during any physical or magical defense lessons; it doesn't matter who the instructor is. There're things we're aware of that someone else wouldn't be."

"More of that classified information, I presume," Hollen said dryly.

"That exactly."

"I'll just go back over the basics, then, and we'll wrap up early. After that, he can watch TV or read or do something else in my office. Easy."

"He probably should-"

"He's right here," Harry interrupted, "standing not ten feet away from both of you, right in the room. Not in the hallway, let alone another room or another building or in another universe, right here. Kindly include me in on this conversation."

They both looked at him; Harry simply crossed his arms and raised his brows, putting on his best imitation of an all-knowing Suntree expression.

"We oughtn't impose on Davish's time," Suntree said a little carefully and more than a little pointedly after a few moments of silence. "He-"

"Made the offer," Harry cut in. "If it ends up imposing on his time, it'll be his own damned fault."

Suntree frowned. "Language."

"Besides, if he has to run off for something, he can always leave me with Gloria. I'm sure he's just as capable of walking me downstairs as you are."

"Or I can find him a nice hooker on a street corner somewhere…" Hollen trailed off at Harry's glare. "Or not."

"I'm not so sure-"

"It'll be fine." Harry looked back to Suntree. "No reason not to."

"I think not today-"

"I think yes today," Harry interrupted. "I think you're being unreasonable; I think you're going to be going out of your way to take me downstairs. It'll be fine. We've had this talk before. Discussed and done with. And you're about to be late, if I'm not mistaken."

"No."

Harry narrowed his eyes and put his hands on his hips. "Yes."

"I'm saying no-"

"And I'm saying your no is retarded and I'm tired of it. I'm not going downstairs."

Suntree gave Harry a firm look. "I'm making the decisions here-"

"And they're bad decisions. I'm staying here. And I will raise holy hell if you try and force me to leave." Harry sat down on the floor, arms crossed tightly. "I'm staying here."

Suntree's pager went off again. It sounded more urgent. Suntree didn't bother to look at it. "Jamie-"

"Staying here."

Suntree glanced down at his watch and then over to Hollen. He gave Hollen a cold, pointed look. "I swear to God-"

"And don't you threaten Hollen," Harry cut in.

Suntree gave Hollen a warning look, and then looked at Harry. "I hope this stunt is worth the trouble you're going to be in later."

Harry just stared back at him.

"Fine." Suntree gave Hollen one last dire look and stalked out of the room.

Harry let out a slow breath and turned his attention to Hollen. Hollen raised a brow. "My, my."

"I feel smart remarks looming on the road ahead," Harry muttered, getting to his feet.

"Your guards are remarkably well trained," Hollen said mildly.

"What? That's all you've got?"

"I might have had more, but your commanding aura has scared them all into submission."

"Funny." Harry rolled his eyes. "And not really. This is just an issue we've all talked about. They can't just pick and choose on their end of it."

Hollen considered him. "What issue is that?"

"They can't just expect me to take on a lot of responsibility and then turn around and be treated like a child whenever the mood strikes them for no damn good reason. It's not like I'm asking for full adult privileges, I'm not retarded, but I think I've earned a certain amount of consideration. And they can't tell me to trust my instincts and judgment and then turn around and act like I don't know what I'm talking about just because they have some stupid hang-up about something that doesn't even make a damn lick of sense to begin with. It doesn't work that way."

"Mm. Well, it is me."

"So?" Harry put his hands on his hips. "It's not like the minute they leave me alone with you you're going to break out the barbeque sauce."

"Damn," Hollen snapped his fingers, "you're onto my brilliant, evil plan."

"What? Lure us all into a false sense of security until one day you make your move and the next thing I know I'm the main dish at your next wacko luau?"

"Damn, you really are onto my brilliant, evil plan. Back to the drawing board."

"The drawing board of evil and doom?"

Hollen eyed him. "Are you spying on me?"

"Yes. I'm everywhere and I know everything. All the time. I am, in fact, a god. But the kind without all the paperwork. No point in being a god if you can't just say 'poof, paperwork away.'"

Hollen snorted. "If you say so. Do your cool down exercises, oh mighty one, and we'll call it a day."

Harry was aware of Hollen's studying gaze as he went through the cool down stretches, but he didn't pay it much attention. He was reconsidering his actions. He was fairly certain he'd been right in spirit, but he was beginning to doubt his actions. Either way, he was pretty sure he was going to be in quite a lot of trouble.

"Ready for the barbeque?" Hollen asked once Harry had stood, finished with his stretching.

"Will there be cartoons?"

"I suppose there can be."

"Then I'm all set." Harry performed several quick cleaning spells on himself with a few swishes of his wand before snagging his backpack from the wall near the door. He slung the bag over his shoulder, hugging the bag to his chest as he followed Hollen from the room.

On the way to Hollen's office, it was soon obvious that Hollen wasn't used to walking with someone significantly shorter. Harry found himself having to take several quick steps to match every steady-paced one of Hollen's. "You know," Harry remarked, "There was once a time when you had short legs and people actually walked at a pace that you could keep up with."

"You seem to be keeping up just fine."

"And I've also got a heavy bag with me."

"Are you asking me to slow down or just complaining for the sake of complaining?"

"How about you carry my bag and we'll call it even?"

Hollen rolled his eyes but held a hand out for the bag. Harry handed it over happily and snorted with amusement when Hollen actually stumbled once he'd taken it. "Holy shit, what the hell do you have in here?"

"Some books and some clothes and stuff."

"Some books?"

"Just my school books and some of my extra lesson books. Oh, there's also a case of stones to practice carving permanent runes."

"Shit. Why don't you have a weight reduction spell on it?"

"I do. But you can only compress so much weight in a given area."

"Sometimes, kid, being around you is like being back in school."

"Stick around, adult, and you just might learn something new."

"You seem to get mouthier as time goes on," Hollen observed with amusement.

"I'm just being me. We're usually too busy trying to beat up on each other to have a normal chat."

"This is a normal chat for you?"

"Normal and I don't actually get along so well most of the time. I've settled on normal's strange but fun cousin, abnormal."

"Abnormal and I have met a couple dozen times."

"Then we'll get along just fine."

"I don't need to do anything for you, do I?" Hollen asked after two hallways, an elevator ride down and another two hallways.

"Huh?"

"You don't need anything, do you? Like some sort of snack or, um, milk, or something?"

Harry gave him an odd look. "You do realize I'm eleven, right? Hell, I'm just a couple months shy of twelve. I'm not three."

Hollen shrugged. "Just checking."

"No, I don't need anything. Though-" Harry snagged Hollen's wrist, ignoring Hollen's half-startled glance, and checked the time – 6:24. "If Suntree hasn't found us around seven, you're going to have to get me something to eat. I've had a really long day and I'm likely to eat you if I'm not fed by seven.

"And what do children eat exactly?"

Harry stared at Hollen. "That is a joke, right?"

"Paperclips? Grass? Fuzzy things?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"What? You get to be snarky and I don't?"

"Snarky?"

Hollen shrugged. "It's snarky. Snippy and sarcastic, I guess."

"Righto." Harry grinned. "Added to my mental dictionary of awesome."

"Here we are." Hollen stopped in front of his office door and tapped his fingers against it in an unlocking sequence. Once inside, he set the bag down on the floor with a little breath. "So, uh, there's a television in that cabinet across from the couch, and yeah, pretty much it."

Harry eyed him with amusement. "You do realize you were the one that said we'd be fine together, yeah? You could have just let me go to Gloria. I would have never even argued in the first place if you hadn't brought it up."

"I was getting tired of them acting like I was about to lose my mind and eat your head. That doesn't mean that I'm used to entertaining kids."

"That works out great, seeing as how I was getting tired of them acting like you were about to lose your mind and eat my head. Protective is great, but they're really pushing the limit of it with you."

Hollen studied him. "Are you going to get in trouble for that?"

Harry shrugged. "Probably. Massively likely. But I don't know how much." Harry gave him a look. "Listen, this isn't all about you, okay? That's been coming for a while. They seriously can't expect so much of me and then try to treat me like a little kid whenever it's most convenient for them."

"Hm. I'm still not used to entertaining kids."

Harry half grinned. "You're in luck, then. I'm quite used to entertaining adults."

Hollen considered him. "That almost sounds ominous."

"Don't be silly. We'll find something to watch on television."

"We?"

"Naturally. Come on." Harry made his way over to the cabinet, opening it up to find a nice sized television set behind it. "Ooooh… you didn't say there was a VCR, too!" He pulled out the movie rack to glance through. "Hey, _Turtles_!"

Hollen gave a snort of laughter. When Harry turned from setting up the movie, Hollen had sat on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table. Harry considered him for several moments, taking a quick peek at his magical aura.

"Are you going to sit?" Hollen asked dryly.

Harry grinned. "Yep!" He joined Hollen on the couch, and after a moment of internal debate, wriggled over until he was just at Hollen's side, leaning into him slightly. Hollen stiffened but didn't push him away. "You can relax, you know," Harry told him after a dozen seconds had gone by and Hollen had remained stiff and still. "I don't have cooties. And you're a little too old to be worried about cooties, anyway."

"You don't even know how old I am," Hollen said after a moment, slowly beginning to relax.

"I know you're older than thirty. That's too old to be worried about cooties."

"What makes you say I'm older than thirty?"

"Because I'm not stupid? Why are we talking during the movie? There are green heroes doing Turtle things on the screen. This means quiet time." Hollen shifted and made a sound like he was getting ready to speak. Harry poked him in the side. "Quiet time."

"Whatever you say, kid."

"Mmhm." After some silent watching, Harry sighed. "I love the _Turtles_. I mean, yeah, they're kind of dorky now that I'm older, but they're still special. And it might be weird, but they're cute. Just like Robbie."

"Oh, so you're allowed to talk during the movie? And who's Robbie?"

"_Dinosaurs_. Cute for a dinosaur. And yes, I'm allowed to talk."

"Explain."

"I'm eleven. The universe has totally different rules for eleven-year-olds."

"Whatever." Hollen shifted, sinking into the couch and resting his arms over the back. Harry took the opportunity to lean properly against Hollen's side. Hollen just sighed a little at the contact.

"You'll get used to me, Holly," Harry assured him. "You'll see."

"Holly?"

"Why not? If I'm 'kid', you can be Holly. Or I could call you majooblejoo if you prefer. Or snarglebart. Or-"

"Holly's fine."

"Thought so," Harry told him smugly.

After several minutes Hollen poked the back of his head. "You're going to take over the world one day, aren't you?"

"Certainly not. Far too much paperwork. And don't poke me."

Hollen poked him again.

"Strike two."

"Hmm…" Hollen gave him a considering look out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm not kidding."

Hollen poked him a third time. Harry reached back to grab the hand on the retreat and dragged the hand over his shoulder, pulling it down across his chest to clasp Hollen's hand with both of his in a firm hold. "Strike three. You forfeit your hand."

"I _what_?"

"You heard me."

Hollen tried to pull his hand away. Harry shifted his grip to the wrist and held on tightly. "All right," Hollen sighed at last. "I'm hardly going to break your hand to get mine back."

"Win."

Hollen snorted. "You're a rather pushy kid, you know that, right?"

"I prefer highly opinionated; it sounds better. Now shush, there's movie."

Harry smiled a little after a few minutes when Hollen just sighed and kept quiet. It wasn't long before Harry found himself fighting off a yawn, his long day and gnawing worry catching up with him in the dim office. There was something magical in the room giving off a low, slow, constant calming and soothing energy and it wasn't helping his heavy eyes. When the yawns began to catch up and sleepiness tugged at him, he gave up fighting it and curled into Hollen's side, closing his eyes. The strangle prickle of Hollen's magic was beginning to feel normal, even oddly comforting, and he found it surprisingly easy to fall asleep.

"Wake up."

"Hm?"

"Wake up." Hollen gave him a hard nudge. "The movie's over and Sunshine's here to take you home. Move."

Harry slid away from Hollen and sprawled across the cushions, snagging a pillow and burrowing into it.

"Get up or I'll curse you."

"I'm getting up," Harry mumbled, sitting up slowly and stretching his arms above his head, yawning widely.

Hollen stood and stretched slowly, ignoring the steady knocking. "You think if I let him knock long enough, he'll break down the door?"

"Be nice." Harry yawned again. "Did you sit with me the entire time?"

"Yes."

"Aww, you didn't have to do that. That's nice."

"I thought it'd be funnier than hell to let you stay there until your legs fell asleep and then watch you try to walk when someone came to fetch you."

Harry stared at him. "You're an asshole. Go answer the door."

Hollen sauntered over to the door and opened it with a smirk. "Oh."

"'Bout time you answered that," Tony said, stepping forward to lounge in the doorway.

"Tony! What are you doing here?" Harry scrambled off the couch, only to stagger as the pins and needles of awakening limbs caught up with him. Hollen snickered.

"Sunny called me and said he was going to be late and to come get you. He sounded fairly cross."

"Oh." Harry fidgeted. "Did he say why?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"Come on." Tony grabbed Harry's backpack and slung it over a shoulder. "You can tell me your side on the way." He nodded to Hollen. "Thanks for keeping an eye on him."

"Not like I had anything better to do."

"Holly always knows exactly what to say to make someone feel wanted," Harry said dryly.

Tony's mouth twitched. "Holly?"

"It was that or snarglebart," Hollen remarked. "I prefer Holly on the whole."

Harry snorted. "It's a perfectly acceptable name."

Hollen rolled his eyes. "For an alien, perhaps."

Harry gave him a mock-shocked look. "You're not an alien? Damn. I lost that bet. Wait! Are you some sort of strange, exotic, non-human species? Like some sort of mythical dark Veela or something?"

"Last time I checked – no."

"Damn."

"But keep asking, you never know."

"Will do. Bye, Holly!" Harry gave Hollen a quick hug. Hollen actually half hugged him back, making Harry grin. "See you next week!"

"Get a bag with wheels."

"Wimp."

"I'll remember that next Friday."

"Wimp in a completely non-wimpy and totally awesome way, of course."

"Nice try."

"Damn."

Tony's mouth twitched. "I probably ought to scold you for your language."

"Like you ever do."

Tony shrugged and held out a hand to Harry. "Let's go, kid."

"Mm."

Tony snagged Harry's hand and gave a gentle tug. "Come on."

Harry gripped the hand and trailed along after Tony.

"So what's your side?"

Harry shrugged a little and told Tony quietly, picking at the edge of his shirt. When they came to the end of the hall and turned right instead of left, Harry glanced over with a frown and interrupted himself. "Where are we going?"

"My office. I want to talk to you."

"Oh."

"You're not in trouble with me."

"Does that mean I'm in trouble with everyone else?"

"We'll talk." He gave Harry's hand a squeeze. "Don't worry, kid. You're beginning to pick up your mother's bad habits."

Harry smiled faintly.

"Here." Tony stopped in front of one of the doors and shifted his grip on Harry's hand to press Harry's palm against the door. There was a tingle and flare of magic, and then the office door opened. "And now you're keyed in. No holding wild parties in my office."

Harry snorted and looked around. There was a plain desk, file cabinets, a bookshelf half filled with USAS issued books and manuals, a plain coffee table and a threadbare couch with a faded, fuzzy blanket thrown over the back. Harry bit his lip. "This is…"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Resist the urge to redecorate." He dropped Harry's backpack on the coffee table and sprawled out on the couch. "Come here." Harry settled beside him. "So, what's the rest of the story?"

Harry fiddled with the hem of his shirt as he finished explaining everything.

Tony was quiet a while as he considered that. "So you told Suntree you'd raise holy hell if he made you leave, Suntree acted like Suntree toward Davish and then he left?"

Harry nodded.

Tony pulled Harry against his side with a sigh.

"Was I wrong?" Harry asked in a small voice.

"No. The way you went about it was wrong, but the point you were trying to make, that wasn't wrong."

"Am I in a lot of trouble?"

"You will be, I'm sure, when your mother hears about this."

"Oh."

Tony hugged him close. "But I'm going to have a talk with your mom and with Suntree. Just because you went about expressing yourself in a less than desirable way doesn't change the fact that you have a real point. Don't let Suntree's disapproval worry you. He loves you."

Harry let out a little sigh. "Okay. I know."

"I'm going to get you something to eat and then we'll head back."

"Don't leave me alone?" Harry asked as casually as he could.

Tony smiled a little. "I won't."

* * *

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* * *

"You."

Suntree looked up from the desk to finding Laney standing in the doorway of his guest house bedroom. "Yes?"

Laney brandished the spoon as she stalked into the room. "You're making Jamie upset and this nonsense is going to stop right now."

"I really don't know-"

Laney jabbed him with the spoon. "No. It's this entire Davish whatever situation and you know it, so don't act like you don't. Jamie's gotten all quiet and bothered and second guessing himself, and it's your fault. So what's the problem?" She jabbed him again, making him shift away from the spoon. "Huh? If this Davish guy really is a danger, Jamie shouldn't be around him in the first place. And if he isn't, then you shouldn't act like every time Jamie's around this guy, he's making poor decisions."

"There are things you don't know-"

"Then tell me."

"I can't." Laney jabbed him with the spoon; Suntree grabbed it as she went to jab him a second time. "Stop, listen. I can't tell you. Not that I won't tell you; I _can't_. It's classified USAS information."

"Let go of my spoon," Laney told him after a moment, mouth a tight line. Suntree released the spoon slowly and shifted his chair further away. "You tell me something, Suntree. Is this man dangerous? To Jamie?"

Suntree frowned and idly shifted a few papers on his desk.

"Suntree." Laney's voice held a hint of warning as she shifted her grip on the spoon.

"Davish is a very dangerous man," Suntree said after a few more quiet moments.

"To Jamie? Is he dangerous to Jamie? Because I know he's got to be dangerous. He's an Auror; all of you Aurors are dangerous. But is he a danger to my son?"

Suntree pushed the papers away. "I don't know."

"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know? How can you not _know_ that?"

Suntree lifted a hand to rub at his brow. "Listen, Laney… The man is… unstable. I don't know what he's capable of."

"Unstable? What does unstable mean? Why is Jamie around someone like this? What does unstable mean?"

"It means that he's… unpredictable," Suntree said carefully. "He has… violent tendencies."

"Then why is Jamie around this man?" Laney demanded, voice rising. She smacked Suntree's hand with the spoon when he started to shift papers again. "Stop it. Why is Jamie around this man?"

"Because…. To be honest, the Director of the USAS has officially assigned Davish to help with Jamie's lessons."

"That's it? That's why Jamie's around someone dangerous to him?" Laney took a deep breath. "I trusted you to keep Jamie safe, and-"

"Laney, listen-"

"And you go and let something like this happen? When I supposedly have the right to say 'no way' to anything I don't like? When you could have come to me and I could have said no and ended it right there?"

Suntree sighed. "Laney…"

"So help me, Suntree," Laney told him in a low voice, "So help me, God, I will break that child's heart if I have to, to keep him safe. If I have to tell the lot of you to get the hell out of our lives to do that, I will!"

Suntree sucked in a breath. "It's complicated."

Laney smacked the spoon down on the desk hard enough to send a crack down the handle of the spoon. "Uncomplicate it right now!"

"There was an incident some years ago…" Suntree said slowly after several moments of silence.

"An incident? What the hell is 'an incident'?"

"If you'd stop interrupting, I'd tell you."

Laney jabbed her spoon menacingly and then crossed her arms, giving Suntree a hard look. "Start talking."

"There was an incident some years ago where Davish… acted in an unpredictable and… questionable manner and it caused some… internal strife and required… that he take some time off…"

"What the hell does that mean? That has to be the worst explanation of anything I've ever heard in my life! That's even worse than Jamie saying the Martians ate the cookies!"

"I'm trying my best," Suntree snapped, standing abruptly.

"Don't you tower over me," Laney snapped back. "Sit back down. I'm not going to have you looming over me when I talk to you."

"What the hell is going on in here?"

Laney gave a start and turned to the doorway where Tony was standing, one hand at his side, fingers curled loosely toward the palm in an unmistakable wandless magic readiness.

"We're having a conversation," Suntree said crisply, moving to sit on the end of the bed, crossing his legs, ankle on knee.

"I want to know what the heck is going on with this Davish guy." Laney turned to give Suntree a look. "And I want to know now."

"I'm trying, okay? I'm trying. But the entire thing is covered in secrecy and confidential magic and there are things I literally cannot say to someone not under the same charms."

"Davish had a sort of emotional meltdown around ten years ago as a direct result of an assignment he had worked a short time before, and during his meltdown, he struck out at another Auror when said Auror did something to set him off," Tony said evenly, coming into the room to sit at the edge of the desk. "He took a medical leave of absence, had some problems dealt with by professionals, came back, worked his way back up and hasn't had an incident since."

"How the hell can you say that?" Suntree demanded, putting both feet on the ground as he sat up.

"Say what? The words at all or that he hasn't had an incident since?"

"Say it at all."

"Some of us are covered by different secrecy contracts," Tony said with a careless shrug. "It's not ours to ask why."

"Just wait a minute," Laney said, glancing between the two. "So he cracked up, struck out- what the heck does 'struck out' mean?"

"He thought the Auror was a threat and sought to put him down. Aurors are not trained to kill first, we're trained to subdue, and that's what he attempted to do."

Suntree's mouth tightened at Tony's response. Laney frowned. "Is there something more there?" she demanded.

"It's not mine to say," Suntree said after a visible effort to speak.

Laney turned a hard look on Tony. "Well? What aren't you saying? Since you seem to be able to just say whatever you want."

"No." Tony shook his head. "I can't say 'just whatever'. But… Davish freaked out, all right? It was a direct result of his assignment and it's not something that'll happen again."

Laney pulled the desk chair out and sank down into it. "All right. All this is starting to muddle. Tony, tell me what happened."

"I just told you."

"Then tell me again!"

"Something set Davish off, he had a meltdown and freaked out, saw someone as a threat, sought to subdue said person, it freaked out some other people around and they got involved and it turned into a fight. No one was very seriously injured, and Davish was given a long leave to recover. He came back, worked desk jobs, got back in the field, worked his way back up, and the USAS hands over the hardest and toughest cases to him now. He's not dangerous, no more than I'm dangerous, no more than Sunny's dangerous."

"Unpredictable and unstable. Sunny said the man was unpredictable and unstable."

"Davish has… mood shifts," Tony said carefully after some thought. "He gets moody at times and sometimes his mood can abruptly change. It's not really a dangerous change, though. He just goes from being pleasant to being an asshole. And trust me, Jamie's not bothered by that. He's seen it, and his opinion is that Davish's too nice underneath to really be an asshole. To him at least."

"So he's an unpleasant man with unpredictable moods, and he just happened to have had some sort of mental breakdown a decade ago and has been fine since. Is that the sum of it?" Laney asked.

"Yes."

Suntree grunted.

"Then what the hell is wrong here?"

"I don't like him and I don't trust him," Suntree said after a visible struggle with his words.

Laney frowned. "And your secrecy contracts are making it hard for you to say that? I like the sound of this less and less."

"No. I just have trouble admitting it," Suntree said after a moment. "I'm free to say the words."

Tony stood. "Suntree, if you had to go into a dangerous situation tomorrow and the only person at your back was Davish, would you trust him to keep you safe?"

Suntree sucked in a deep breath and stood to straighten the bedspread.

"Suntree?"

"Yes." He sat back on the bed heavily. "I would."

"You'd trust him with your life and not with Jamie?" Laney frowned. "That's starting to sound like crap."

Suntree said nothing.

Laney jabbed the spoon warningly in Suntree's direction. "Jamie is grounded right now because of that stunt he pulled. And I entirely agree that he was disrespectful and shouldn't just get away with that. But he was disrespectful because you just don't like Davish, and as far as I can see, you don't have a solid reason for it. You know what that amounts to? I'll tell you what that amounts to. It amounts to Jamie being grounded for a month because you have something against this Davish guy and Jamie called you on it."

Suntree crossed his arms, looking at the spoon and not Laney.

"And now Jamie feels bad; he's doubting himself, questioning his instincts, and it's all your fault." Laney continued, giving Suntree a fierce look. "So, you're going to make this right. I don't know what, I don't know how, but I know you're going to make this right. Is that clear? Just because you're family doesn't mean I'm not going to tell you to get the hell away from Jamie when you're making him miserable."

"We're clear," Suntree said flatly.

"Good." Laney gave her spoon a shake and stalked out of the room.

"If you-"

"Don't talk to me," Suntree interrupted, giving Tony a cold look.

Tony shrugged. "My opinion-"

"I don't want your opinion."

"I think you're worried that Jamie's going to suck Davish in," Tony continued on doggedly. "And if Davish gets involved-"

"That's not going to happen," Suntree snapped.

"If Davish gets involved, there's a chance he'd take over as the head of this assignment. Because he does that. He moves in and takes over."

"That's not going to happen."

"And you're worried that you'll be reassigned."

"That's not going to happen."

"You really ought to know that Jamie wouldn't let you go without screaming down the house," Tony said after the silence between them stretched.

"Get out."

Tony shrugged and left the room. Suntree continued to glare at the far wall.


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes.

Reviews: Eeee! Everyone's been so great here's an uber long chapter in thanks!

Betas: Hugs to them all. For they are awesome. (And I can no longer remember who helped with what chapters specifically *hangs head*)

AN: Whee, slowly recovering! That said, I'm looking for a job as I desperately need one and writing may be a bit slowed during looking and likely obviously once I find one. Fingers crossed. But here's the next chapter! And if you're wondering about the KKKKK thing, well, ffnet likes to remove my divides and even more them, so I'm trying to make it harder for them to mess up the story. And btw, since some people still seem kinda confused on this one… Harry isn't going to Hogwarts until fourth year. But trust me, it will so be worth the wait. I hope so, at least. Mewehehe…

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 35

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"I thought Al was coming back…"

Suntree leaned on the library table. "I happened to be in the area and he had something to do."

"Oh." Harry fidgeted a little before he began to pack up his homework.

"I talked to your mom today."

Harry looked up through his lashes. "Oh?"

"She said you're off groundation."

"Oh."

Suntree sighed and sat down at the other side of the table. "Jamie, I know things have been a little tense between us for the last two weeks… And that's more my fault than anything. I'm sorry. I don't think I can really explain it…"

Harry shrugged. "It's okay."

"It's not really okay. But… I trust your judgment, all right? I do. So if you want to be friendly with Davish, go ahead."

Harry looked up properly. "What was the problem?"

Suntree sighed. "That's… one of those things that… Sometimes people react in certain ways and they can't exactly say why, they just know they do. Davish bothers me, and I have my reasons, but those reasons shouldn't really be causing a problem with you and him getting along. Do you understand?"

Harry shrugged a little. "I guess."

"I'm sorry."

Harry shrugged again.

"I just want you to be careful."

"And I am careful. I'm very careful."

"I know. I was just being a stupid adult." Suntree smiled wryly. "Forgive me?"

"Yeah… Are you sure you're not mad at me?"

"I'm sure." Suntree held out an arm. "Hug?"

Harry slid out of his chair to throw his arms around Suntree. "I'm sorry."

Suntree held him close. "And I'm sorry, too."

Harry pulled back with a little sigh after nearly a minute. "So, did Al really have something to do?" he asked with a little smile.

Suntree laughed. "No, not really. I mean, he did, but he didn't have to go do it right then. I wanted to talk to you."

Harry rolled his eyes. "You didn't have to make up a reason."

"It's another adult thing."

Shaking his head, Harry went back to putting books in his backpack.

"So… I was thinking you might like to try a subber?"

"A what?"

"A subber. They're brooms that are designed to go underwater."

Harry twisted around to look at him. "Seriously? That's awesome!"

"I'll take that as a yes." Suntree chuckled. "I'll set up some lessons for you. There's a knack to navigating underwater."

"Where will I take the lessons?"

"Here. There's a small lake here, sort of outside."

Harry frowned. "What does that mean? 'Sort of outside'? And where is 'here' exactly?"

"Well, there's a large lake outside- Here, let me get that." Suntree took Harry's backpack and led him from the library. "We share this property with the non-magical government, actually. They have most of the surface buildings, and we're located underground, as you've no doubt figured out."

"I thought so, but I wasn't sure. I know the windows are pretty much enchanted and the garden restaurant area is all located inside and stuff."

"Mmhm. We're underground; the non-magical government takes up most of the surface space. We're actually doing each other a favor. They're a top secret, super confidential kind of base and we help them keep certain things working smoothly – sorry, can't say more about that – and they help keep us a secret by having such a strict secrecy policy. It's a military thing. But we've created an underground waterway that feeds water from their lake into ours, and our lake is located underground in a special building. Looks like its outside, but it isn't."

Harry nodded. "Lovely, wonderful, but where is here?"

Suntree grinned. "Let's go up to the garden and see if you can figure it out."

"The garden?"

"Mmhm. We'll stop by my office and drop off your bag."

Harry nodded and snagged Suntree's hand. Suntree smiled at him, giving his hand a squeeze. "You know, this really isn't technically an elevator," Harry said as they stepped into it and Suntree pushed several buttons.

"I'm aware. Because elevators go up and elevators go down, they aren't supposed to go sideways and diagonal."

Harry nodded as the elevator stopped going up and started to go to the left.

"Very aware." The elevator stopped with a chime and Suntree nudged Harry out and down the hall.

"So… does office location mean anything?" Harry asked curiously. "Because Tony's office is down that hallway, Holly's is one hallway over from there and yours is down this way, but Cammy has a smaller office one floor up and Al has an office on this floor, but in another section."

Suntree chuckled. "They do have meaning. The lower level the office is on, the more secure it is. Al's office is located in another section on this level because his reason for being more secure is different. He has to have a different type of warding."

"So… you and Tony and Holly are pretty important, huh?"

"I guess we are, yes." Suntree stopped and shifted the backpack to open his office door.

Harry lounged in the doorway as Suntree put the backpack down in an overstuffed chair beside the door and went to the metal desk to check his voicemail. Harry studied the abstract art scattered around the room while Suntree jotted down notes.

"I'll be with you in a sec, Jamie," Suntree said with an odd look, sitting at the computer to type up something.

Harry wandered into the office and sat down on the soft gray couch, resting his feet on the edge of the coffee table. It was the same black metal as the desk.

"Hey, Jamie…"

"Yeah?"

"There's someone who wants to meet you," Suntree said, glancing over. "Is it okay if I have him meet us in the garden?"

"Yeah, sure." Harry shrugged. "Who is it?"

"Thomas."

"Thomas…?"

"Yes."

Harry shrugged again. "All right."

"Great." Suntree pushed away from the desk. "Come on."

"So why are we going to the garden for me to figure out where we are?" Harry asked as they left, heading for the elevator again.

"Because the garden is on top of one of the surface buildings we have. It's in a protective bubble that no one can see, but we can see out."

Harry nodded. "How are you going to get Mom to agree to the subber thing?"

"Hm. I'll bring it up to her. Let me worry about that."

Harry eyed Suntree. "You're going to use the excuse of making things up to me or something, aren't you?"

"Are you arguing with my method of getting her to agree to something she might not ordinarily?" Suntree asked with amusement. "Because if so-"

"No, that's fine," Harry interrupted quickly.

"Thought so. Down this way."

"I don't think I've ever been in this part of the building," Harry said after several minutes. "Though it's pretty much all hallways, so it's hard to tell sometimes. But I don't recognize some of the art on the walls."

Suntree chuckled. "This is a new area. Here, up this way. We'll take the stairs up."

The stairs required Suntree to use his ID card and punch in a code. They led to a small glass enclosure, beyond which stretched garden as far as Harry could see in all directions. It was a normal garden with average sized trees, flowers, bushes and stone trails; it wouldn't have looked out of place in a non-magical area.

"Come on." Suntree pushed open one of the glass doors and led him out, onto a dark gray stone path. The air outside of the enclosure the air was a little cooler from a breeze that carried with it the faintest hint of flowers. "We'll head left," Suntree said, nudging Harry as they came to a fork in the path. "There's a little section at the edge of the building where we can see out."

Harry trailed after him, looking around curiously at the brightly colored plants and studying the occasional flutter of movement of birds and squirrels. The area was saturated in magic, but none of the plants seemed very magical themselves. "This seems like a pretty normal garden…"

"It is." Suntree looked over with amusement. "Not everything has to have a magical use."

"So what's the use of this?"

"Well, we have some herbs and things growing, but it's really just a nice place for people to take a break, meditate, have a quiet chat, get some fresh air, that sort of thing."

"Ah."

"Here we are." Suntree motioned Harry forward.

There was a half wall ahead of them. Harry touched it gingerly; it proved to be solid and real, so he leaned against it confidently and peered over. It was a straight drop to the ground. Harry wasn't sure how far down it was, but it looked pretty far. He looked out beyond it to the landscape and frowned a little at the dusty, baked earth and scrubs of plants.

"Well?" Suntree leaned a hip against the wall beside Harry.

"Are we… in the desert? Arizona?"

"Close to it."

"Um… New Mexico?"

"Other direction."

Harry frowned as the thought about that, trying to picture a map of the country. "I'm not sure… Nevada!"

"Exactly."

"So we're in Nevada?"

"Yes."

"On a top secret military base type place?"

"Yes."

"And… I'm supposed to know where we are?"

Suntree chuckled. "Maybe you're too young. Think about it; maybe you'll figure it out."

"There's a joke here I'm not getting."

"You might not get it even when you're told," someone else said.

Harry twisted around. "Holly, what are you doing here?"

Hollen waved a cigarette in answer, blowing out several smoke rings. Harry wrinkled his nose at the strangely sweet smell.

"You're not allowed to smoke in here," Suntree remarked evenly. "It'll get you written up."

Hollen took a drag and studied his cigarette thoughtfully, then blew the smoke out in Suntree's direction. "So?"

"It goes on your permanent record as insubordination."

"So?"

Suntree's lips thinned. "On your head."

Harry frowned. "Smoking is gross."

Hollen shrugged. "What are you doing up here?"

"Sunny was showing me the landscape. I asked where we are."

"Ah."

Suntree's watch double-beeped three times. Hollen raised a brow. Suntree ignored him, lifting his wrist to press a button on the side of the watch. "You should put that out," he said after a moment, looking up. "We're going to have company."

"So?"

"Fine. I don't care."

"I never asked you to." Hollen smirked. "Trying to be nice, Sunshine? How unlike you."

"I'm attempting to be civil."

"Shouldn't be too hard." Hollen lounged against a tree and blew smoke rings in Suntree's direction. "You're so very good at being things you're not, aren't you?"

Suntree gave him a cool look. "We won't even mention the things you're good at."

"Oh, please do." Hollen gave him a humorless smile.

"I'm not getting into this with you."

"Have they finally closed that investigation regarding you?" Hollen asked innocently.

Suntree's mouth tightened. "I think that's enough."

"Well, I'm sure they'll clear you," Hollen said with false brightness. "They always do."

Harry frowned, watching Suntree closely. He looked stiff and uncomfortable. "That's enough," he said as Hollen opened his mouth to speak again. "Honestly. Grow up." Harry turned around again to look out at the dark earth and rising dunes.

There was a low chuckle. "Because, really, passing judgments on me with your record…?" Hollen continued. "They should never put someone with my clearance on desk duty. Never know what sort of files might find their way to my desk."

"I said that's enough." Harry twisted around to glare at Hollen. "I'm not amused."

"I'll leave it," Hollen murmured, smiling a little as he tossed his cigarette down and ground it out with the heel of his boot. "Oh honestly," he muttered at Harry's severe look, vanishing it with a flick of his fingers. He pulled a pack from somewhere and pulled out another cigarette. Harry couldn't see how he lit it, but one moment his hands were cupped around the end and the next he was breathing smoke out through his nose.

Harry studied Suntree; he still looked a little stiff, lips pursed. Harry shifted over to lean into his side, tugging on his hand to get his attention. "What are all those other buildings out there, Sunny?"

"Most of them are being used by the non-magical military."

"What do they do here? And how does all their stuff work around all the high magic here?"

"Top secret stuff," Suntree explained after a moment, voice slightly clipped. "There're advanced muting fields around all magical buildings. There's very little leakage."

"And the apartments are located here, too? Like Tony's and Terry's?"

"They're not located directly here, but they're within a few dozen miles. All underground, of course."

"The majority of the magical government and other related groups are located underground, young man."

Harry turned at the unknown voice. An older man was standing several feet away, smiling genially, wearing dress pants and a nice shirt. He was lean with a full head of gray hair, a full, bushy mustache, and a jagged scar stretching from the corner of an ice blue eye to his jaw.

"Sir." Suntree gave the man a nod. "Jamie, this is Thomas Kinaire."

"Um, hello, sir." Harry shook the strong hand. "Wait… Thomas Kinaire? Director of the USAS Thomas Kinaire?!"

The man chuckled. "Yes, that's me." He looked up at Suntree. "Doing well? How's your aunt?"

"I'm doing very well, sir. My aunt's doing well, too, sir. She'll be pleased to hear you were asking after her."

"You had a little trouble with an old case a little while ago, if I'm not mistaken."

"All cleared up now, sir. Just some files damaged. I was able to reproduce the contents, however, and the records are complete now."

"Good, good." He glanced at the man on his left, a thin man with the harried look of an assistant. "Why don't you go wait in the stairwell room, Thornton? I'd like a little privacy."

"Yes, sir."

The Director turned, mustache twitching with amusement. He nodded to Hollen, eyes lingering on the cigarette. "You're looking better these days."

"I was fine before," Hollen said in a neutral tone, blowing out smoke rings in the opposite direction. "But thanks."

"Good to see you again. I expect I'll be seeing a request for an assignment on my desk soon."

"Maybe."

"I'm sure you have things to do. Don't let us hold you up."

Hollen raised a brow slightly. "Oh, I have plenty of time. Time enough to finish my smoke." He blew smoke rings up into the air.

"Perhaps you'd like to take that somewhere else?"

"This is a nice spot," Hollen said after a moment of studying his cigarette. "Nice breeze."

The Director considered Hollen with an unreadable expression. Hollen lounged even more against the tree. After a moment, the Director looked back to Harry. Harry continued to stare at him a little wide-eyed while trying to look like he wasn't. "I've been meaning to meet you for a while, young man," he said after a moment of mustache twitching, "but every time you were here, I wasn't free. How are things going for you? I understand you're spending a lot of time talking with our snakes and scaring our trainees."

Harry blushed. "Yes, sir! Um, the snakes, sir. I, um, I don't think I'm scaring anyone, sir."

He laughed. "No need to end all your sentences with 'sir', young man."

"Yes, sir. No! I mean, um, yes, okay, right." Harry blushed all the more.

"And taking some Occlumency lessons with one of our people? Sitting in on a class here and there?"

"Um. Yes, sir. I mean, yes. Is there some sort of problem?"

"No, no problem. Just checking to see how you are."

"Oh, I'm good, I mean, fine, I'm fine. I'm doing great."

The Director's eyes flicked to Hollen for a moment before he smiled at Harry. "How are you doing with your magic sensing? I understand you're beginning to interact with magic on a deeper level?"

"Oh, yeah, um… yeah. It's going great."

"And this new healing ability of yours, it's quite interesting."

Harry fidgeted a little, glancing at Suntree and then back. "Um, sir, not to be rude or anything, but… was there something you wanted?"

"What makes you think that, young man? You don't think I'm here just to meet you?" He laughed. "You have several active bodyguards, you have clearance beyond most new agents, you sit in on classes, you're taking various lessons with some of my top people in things from defense to explosives, something you don't actually need to know, and through your connections to the USAS you've been given limited wand rights." He raised his brows. "And you don't think I just want to meet you?"

"Well… I mean, there is all that, but, um… You didn't need to send that other man away to just check up on me…"

The man smiled widely. "You're right. I didn't."

"So, um, what did you want? I'm sure you're really busy."

"I admit I do have a favor I want to ask you."

Suntree stepped forward. "Sir-"

"Now, now, it's nothing bad." The Director pulled something from his pocket, a little cube half the size of a Rubik's Cube, made of wood and covered in little wood squares of varying colors and sizes. "This is a puzzle box of some kind," he said, turning the cube between his fingers thoughtfully. "We haven't found a way to open it, and we've been trying." He looked over the cube at Harry. "I'm wondering if you might be able to help, seeing as how you can talk to magic."

"Um… I can't actually talk to magic," Harry said slowly. "A lot of people think that, but that's not really the way it works. It's not like I can ask it questions or anything. I can just usually sort of get a sense of how to do things with magic, rather than make magic do things. And I can sort of ask it to hold in place or shift over or something like that. But no real talking…"

"Oh." He let out a heavy breath. "I'd been hoping… We're not really sure how this is locked, but the man it belonged to- belongs to, perhaps- he disappeared two months ago while on assignment. We don't know if this will help us in any way, but being so tightly locked, we've been hoping…"

"Oh. I'm sorry." Harry fidgeted. "But I can't just ask the box to open, if that's what you're thinking. I especially can't do it if the man didn't really want it to be opened by anyone else."

"Oh well."

"But… I'll look at it, if Suntree says it's okay. I don't think I can do anything, but I'll look at it."

The Director looked up at Suntree. Suntree held out his hand for the cube after a moment of thought and spent a few minutes looking at it critically.

"Is that Eddington's?" Hollen asked with sudden sharp keenness, pushing away from the tree.

The Director looked over at him. "Yes. Do you recognize it?"

Hollen lounged back against the tree, blowing a series of smoke rings in their general direction. "Vaguely," he said with disinterest. "Let the kid see it. Last time I saw one, it was on a Magurist bookshelf."

"Really?" the Director asked. "When was that?"

Hollen made a disinterested noise. "Some time ago. I don't know."

The Director's eyes shifted to the cigarette, Hollen and then back to Harry just as Suntree held out the cube. Harry took it and turned it over slowly, studying it, letting his magic ghost over it. He almost dropped it at the swell of magic coming from the box, trying to latch onto his magic, demanding the key. A hand grabbed the cube away and Harry looked up at Hollen. "What…?"

"You paled."

"No, I'm fine. It just surprised me. It wanted to know what I was doing."

"I thought you said you couldn't talk to magic?" the Director asked.

"I can't, not exactly. It was more a sense of wanting knowledge or seeking knowledge, and I just got that feel, that that's what it wanted. It wanted the key to open it." Harry took the cube from Hollen again and let it rest in his hand, closing his eyes as he focused on the gentle hum of magic coming from the box.

He tried to imagine his magic as questioning fingers running all over the surface. He almost dropped the box again when the magic in the box rose up and seized onto his, gently but firmly, and began to draw him somewhere that felt like the normal flows of magic, and yet deeper. He resisted for a moment and the magic let him, giving Harry a sense of puzzlement. Harry relaxed and let it draw him away.

The streams of magic began to change, taking him out of the simple flow all around, the atmosphere magic that Harry was familiar with. They began to slow and then speed up in turns, and it felt like sinking and rising at the same time. It made Harry think of the beach, walking in the water as the sand beneath gradually dropped away and then taking that one step that dropped him down two feet at once.

Just as he was beginning to get the hang of the drops and rises, Harry began to get the oddest sensation that the magic had a specific taste and feel, a hint of cool, of hot, of tangy, but weakly, like it was trying to make him understand something with a comparison that could never fit the reality. And then that dropped away suddenly into a pool of stillness, empty of taste, feel, sound… With a start, Harry realized that the magic he was in was somehow connected to the magic in the box. It seemed to be waiting for something.

His own magic felt strange in the stillness as he retreated back into it, trying to find a way to ask some sort of question. He'd barely felt the need to ask when his magic shivered and shifted and the still magic around him suddenly shifted in return. A surge of protectiveness that wasn't his own, coming from around him and sinking into him, rose up from the depths of the stillness. The protectiveness was replaced by a sense of ownership, belonging to something else, being connected to something else, and then Harry found himself flung free of the hold. He opened his eyes with a gasp and found Suntree staring into his face with concern.

"Jamie!" Suntree hugged him tightly. To Suntree's right, Hollen jerked the box from Harry's hand, his other hand holding Harry's wrist tightly. "What the hell happened to you?" Suntree demanded, pulling back to look at him.

Hollen shifted closer. "You seemed to go into a trance and we couldn't pull you out."

"You scared the crap out of us."

"You're actually tolerating each other to help me," Harry said, glancing between Suntree and Hollen with a growing grin, feeling strangely giddy. "Amazing."

"Jamie, what the hell happened? Are you all right? Jamie-"

"Quit smothering the kid," Hollen muttered. "Christ."

Suntree shot Hollen a look. "Don't you start-"

"Christ, we were both concerned, okay? Freaking out at him isn't going to help."

Suntree glared but looked back to Harry. "What happened?"

Harry began to laugh. "It's true. It's really true. It's really all right there and true. Like this great big true amazing thing-"

"But are you okay?" Hollen interrupted.

"Never been better," Harry told him gaily.

Hollen stood abruptly and turned to glare at the Director. "What the hell was that box?"

"Just a puzzle box locked with magic," the man said, eyeing Harry closely. "That's all. No one else had any sort of reaction to it."

"It was lovely!" Harry grinned even more. "And it's true! The flow of magic around us, the atmosphere magic, it's just one layer. There're so many others! And that's where the box pulled me, to a higher layer, and it was so amazing!"

Suntree sat back on his heels, letting out a slow breath. "Oh. More Jamie weirdness."

Harry hit him with a pout that quickly dissolved into giggles. "Be nice."

"You scared the hell out of me, Jamie," Suntree said more calmly. "Don't you ever do that again."

"It's not like I meant to, okay? I didn't decide to. It happened. I was just testing my magic against it and it grabbed me and I didn't realize I'd go into a deep trance, okay? I just thought I'd look like I was concentrating. I'm sorry."

Suntree let out another breath. "You are not touching any more strange boxes from now on. Understand?"

Harry laughed a little breathlessly. "Okay. Hadn't planned on it."

Suntree hugged him again. Only then did Harry realize, feeling how much calmer and looser it was, how hard Suntree had been gripping him earlier. "You're definitely all right?"

"I'm fine. It was amazing! I so want to find that place again…"

"No!"

"Oh, Sunny, if you could have felt it…" Harry breathed, eyes half closing. "It was like… existing in pure energy…"

Suntree licked his lips and glanced back at the Director. The Director glanced up from the box he was holding and inclined his head slightly.

Suntree turned back to Harry. "Listen, Jamie-"

Harry nudged Suntree. "Sunny, stand up. I'm too tall for you to hug me with you all the way down there. I'm all hunched over."

Suntree stood, almost lifting Harry off his feet.

"I'm okay, really, I promise," Harry murmured, feeling the giddiness beginning to fade away. "Really promise."

The Director cleared his throat. "I don't mean to interrupt, but… did you get anything from that?"

Harry shook his head against Suntree's chest. "No. It was just really protective of whatever it's got inside. It doesn't want to let anyone have it."

"All right. Oh well. Thank you."

"But, um…"

"Yes?"

"I think… the magic is acting like it has to be protective because the person it's connected to, it's still connected to. I think the magic would know if he, um, wasn't alive…"

The Director straightened. "Really? We've been looking- well, never mind that. Thank you for the help. I need to go, though. I've been looking the wrong way, and I need to see about getting some stronger Magurists on the payroll."

Harry nodded and pulled away enough to give the Director's hand another shake. There was a sucking sound and Harry turned his head in the other direction to find Hollen puffing on a new cigarette.

"Davish."

"Yes, Sunshine?"

"Keep an eye on Jamie for a second? I need to make a call."

Hollen gave Suntree a surprised look and shrugged. "Sure."

Suntree pulled away slowly, pausing to ruffle Harry's hair before stepping away and heading quickly down the trail.

"Need to sit? You look a little shaky." Hollen pulled his wand and flicked, twirled, swished it behind Harry.

A simple chair appeared behind him and Harry sat back, beginning to feel a little shaky. "Thanks."

Hollen flicked some ash from his cigarette. "You okay?"

"Yeah. It was… so amazing…"

"Looked it." Hollen lounged against the tree again, propping a foot up on the edge of the chair.

"You're not freaking out like Sunny," Harry observed.

"He wasn't really freaking out. He was just very worried. It's one of those strange things, though, what you saw afterward. Someone can be entirely clear headed during an emergency, and then afterward, bam, it's like it hits them all at once."

"That's not Sunny," Harry said dryly. "He's always clear headed."

"People react strangely with people they love," Hollen said quietly. "And he really loves you."

Harry fidgeted a little. "I know."

"Listen, kid," Hollen nudged the chair, "that stuff I was saying earlier, don't let it get your hair up, okay? That stuffs routine, a part of his job. There's nothing to worry about. Sunshine's a good man, even if I want to dropkick him off a tall building sometimes."

Harry burst out laughing. "Dropkick him from a tall building?"

Hollen shrugged. "His kind gets on my nerves. Personality clash."

"No kidding," Harry muttered.

"Are you corrupting him?" Suntree asked as he came back up the path.

"Oh, entirely." Hollen blew out several rings, each smaller than the last. "Going to make him into a little copy of me and live vicariously through him. It'll be great. He'll do all the things I never got a chance to do, like finish school, find a nice boy to settle down with, that sort of terrible stuff."

Suntree snorted.

"Better watch out, Sunshine. Next thing you know, he'll start eating broccoli, cleaning his room and taking out the trash without having to be nagged."

"I do all that anyway," Harry said with amusement, getting up at Suntree's little beckoning nod. "Except for the trash. Mom decided Tony's job is to take out the trash."

"Damn. Looks like he's already been corrupted. Ah well." He sprawled out in the vacated chair, kicking his feet at the air. A footstool appeared and he propped his feet up. He waved his hand lazily. "I'm sure you two must be off. Let me finish killing myself in peace."

"Actually, we do need to be off," Suntree put in.

"Bye, Holly." Harry pulled away from Suntree to give Hollen a hug. He was a little surprised at how quickly Hollen hugged him back, arms tight around him.

"Be good," Hollen told him lazily.

"You shouldn't smoke," Harry said, pulling away. "Even if it smells kind of nice."

"Clove."

"You know, there are probably spells and potions that-"

"I like smoking."

Harry shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah. Away with you child." Hollen slouched down and took a long drag of his cigarette. "Stay away from puzzle boxes."

Harry snorted and grabbed Suntree's hand. "Bye, Holly."

"Away with you. Away."

"Come on." Suntree pulled him down the path.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked Suntree as they entered the glass room.

"Aside from losing five years of my life back there?" Suntree asked dryly. "Yes."

"Was it that scary?"

"It was… unsettling. You just went into a deep trance and you weren't responding to anything. Davish even pinched your arm and nothing happened."

"I wondered why my arm hurt a little," Harry muttered.

Suntree snorted. "So, I've got a theory."

"What's your theory?"

"That whatever happened back there took a lot of magical effort on your part. And if I'm right…"

"If you're right?"

"You're probably going to be very hungry, very soon."

Harry considered that. "Um, I think I am, actually."

"Thought so. Come on, we'll visit the cafeteria. I already called the house and said I'd get you dinner and we'd be delayed because of something unexpected."

"Um…"

"Yes?"

"Did you… tell Mom why?"

"No." Suntree gave Harry a careful look. "I'm of the opinion that perhaps we should keep this to ourselves."

"Well… I want to tell her about the other layers of magic. They're so wonderful, Sunny. But how about we just leave out the deep trance, unsettling, scary stuff?"

Suntree nodded. "My thoughts, exactly. We won't lie, of course, if she asks-"

"Like she's going to know to ask about this specifically," Harry interrupted dryly.

"Exactly."

Harry looked over with amusement. "So you get to say you're not lying when you sort of are."

"It's simply not giving all the details." Suntree raised a brow slightly. "You'll get used to doing it as an Auror."

"Mom calls it lying by omission."

"Some people do," Suntree acknowledged. "But in this business, you take your advantages where you can get them."

Harry snorted. "Now you're corrupting me."

Suntree shrugged slightly. "Teaching you. But you better watch yourself, child. I'm very good at spotting lies of omission. Don't think you're going to get away with it with me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Right."

In the elevator, Suntree curled his fingers through Harry's hair with a faint smile, making Harry grumble about messing up the style. "You smell like clover now."

"That crap Holly was smoking?"

"That crap exactly."

Harry sniffed himself. "It's not too bad, but smoking is just nasty."

"Mm. I agree."

"Did you ever smoke, Sun?"

"When I was very young," he said after a moment. "A teenager. I stopped before I was twenty."

They stopped to get Harry's bag and then headed for the elevators again, Suntree carrying the bag. In the elevator, Harry studied Suntree from under his lashes.

"Something to say, Jamie?"

"Well. Sunny?"

"Hm?"

"Think Hollen was being serious? He never finished school?"

"I guess you'll have to ask him."

"Guess so." The elevator opened on the main floor and Suntree nudged Harry out. "Come on, this way."

"I know where it is by now," Harry said dryly.

"I should hope so," a voice said from behind them.

Harry turned around. "Tony! What are you doing here?"

"Laney sent me to investigate."

"I called."

"Before you called."

"Ah."

"Tony!" Harry hugged him tightly, making Tony chuckle. "We're gonna get food. Wanna come?"

"Sure. I'll join you for your fooding. I've eaten, but there's always room for dessert." He ruffled Harry's hair.

Harry rolled his eyes and tried to pat his hair back into place.

"Lost cause, wildcat. There's no taming that wild thing growing on your head. I think you need to let it grow out some more until it's not quite so prone to sticking up everywhere." He snagged Harry's hand and gave it a tug.

Harry let Tony guide him down the hall by the hand, watching out of the corner of his eye as Tony and Suntree exchanged those special looks that managed to convey an entire conversation with an eyebrow lift, mouth twitch and nose wiggle. Harry vowed to learn that one day and not tell the PDs that he had. It'd be nice to know what was going on before they got around to telling him.

"So, I'm thinking a cheeseburger?" Harry asked hopefully. "I know it's late, but the Burger Bar has the best cheeseburgers ever."

"Hm." Suntree and Tony exchanged a few more lifting, twitching and wiggles, and then Suntree nodded. "But you can't order a milkshake. I shouldn't even let you have tea this late, but I will."

"Aww, all right."

Tony winked at him when Suntree looked away to check the time, and Harry bit back a smile.

"I smell plotting," Suntree muttered when he'd looked back up. "It has a decidedly sneaky smell to it."

"I smell cheeseburgers!"

Tony chuckled and they veered off to the left, pushing through a set of double doors that boasted just beyond them a large indoor garden filled with cozy tables and about a dozen restaurant fronts spanning around the edges of the room. Harry pulled away from Tony's hand and darted over to the Burger Bar to open the door for them.

Tony headed to a booth in the back corner and slid in. Harry climbed into the booth after him.

"This bag must weigh twenty pounds, at the very least." Suntree tossed the bag onto the empty seat and then slid in after it. "We're going to have to find a better way for you to haul your stuff about."

"Holly suggested wheels. Um, that day that Tony picked me up. When Holly and I watched Turtles."

"I'm still surprised he tolerates Holly," Suntree observed.

Harry snickered and shifted onto his knees to give the open menu in Tony's hands a glance. He sat down properly when Tony spread the menu out on the table where they could both see it.

"Well, considering Jamie likely would have called him snarglebart if Davish hadn't agreed to Holly," Tony said, "I'd go with Holly, too, with that hanging over my head."

"Hey, Holly calls me princess on occasion. He can put up with Holly." Harry sniffed. "And snarglebart is a perfectly acceptable name. Really."

"I'm sure it is," Suntree said. "In your universe."

A little pop signaled the arrival of their server. The elf gave a little bow when they looked over before pulling a little pad from her spotless apron pocket. "How can Mizzy be helping sirs today?"

Harry grinned at the elf. "Hi, Mizzy. I thought you'd decided to go somewhere else?"

The elf gave a little shrug. "I was thinking that, Mr. Jamie. But I was missing everyone here before I even left, so I was thinking I was meant to be staying."

"Well, I'm glad to see you."

She grinned back at him. "I is glad to see Mr. Jamie, too. And I is thinking I know what Mr. Jamie wants."

Harry laughed. "Except for the milkshake. Suntree says it's too late for me to order a milkshake. I'll take a raspberry tea, instead."

She tapped the pad of paper with a long finger. Little elfish symbols appeared neatly in a straight line down the page. "And other sirs is wanting?"

"The turkey cheese with no pickles, extra onion, special fries, water with lemon and lime to drink. And…" Suntree glanced over at Harry, then back to Mizzy. "Large onion rings to start with."

Mizzy gave them a sly look. "I is thinking the sweet kind and not the seasoned?"

Suntree nodded.

"Large chocolate milkshake with a swirl of vanilla and…" Tony studied the menu for a moment. "Apple cobbler with the cinnamon ice cream side, extra whipped cream."

Several more taps of her finger filled another two columns with symbols. "Is that all for sirs?"

"Yeah."

"If sirs is needing anything, just be saying Mizzy's name."

"Sure thing."

She popped away.

Suntree gave Tony an exasperated look once she'd gone, but there was no hiding the amusement beneath it. "I know there's no way you would have ordered all that sugar and eaten it in front of Jamie without planning to share."

Tony gave a vague shrug. "A little bite surely won't hurt him."

Suntree gave him a look.

"You ordered me onion rings," Harry pointed out, fighting back a smile.

"I can't imagine why."

"Because you love me forever and always and to the ends of the earth and universe forever," Harry said promptly.

Suntree's smile softened. "Imp."

Harry laughed and got up to give Suntree a hug before settling in against Suntree's side. Tony gave him a wounded look.

"Oh, I'll be back."

"Sure. Just in time to eat my cobbler and drink my shake."

Harry snickered. "I love you, too."

"Mmhm."

A little chime sounded at the table. The drinks appeared, minus the milkshake, but plus a water for Tony in the meantime. Tony took Harry's drink hostage. Harry just took a sip of Suntree's with a smirk.

"So," Suntree said after stealing his drink back. "I think we should share with Tony."

Harry shifted. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"All right. But Tony, you're not allowed to freak or anything."

Tony lifted his brows. "Do I ever freak?"

"Um, no. So don't choose now to start."

Tony mock-saluted. Harry threw a balled up napkin at him. "So what's up, Sunny?" Tony asked, reaching out to smack a decoration on the wall

"What the heck was that?" Harry asked.

"All the tables and booths around the cafeteria come with localized privacy wards that can be activated with a touch," Suntree explained.

"Makes it easier to take business lunches and other things," Tony added.

"Oh. Right."

"So, Sunny?"

Suntree sat back with a little sigh and related the afternoon's events. Tony took it all in with a thoughtful expression. During the explanation, a chime heralded the arrival of the milkshake. Shortly thereafter a second chime foretold the arrival of the onion rings with little plates. Harry snagged one and piled several onion rings on it to cool. Tony picked one up and began to munch on it like it wasn't still steaming.

"So…" Tony said just as Harry began to tentatively nibble on an onion ring. "I've actually heard of this layered thing."

"You have?" Harry asked, sitting up straighter.

"Yeah. I've spent some time with Magurists over the years, given how I do some of my magic. They do talk about this idea that there's another… realm of magic, like a dimension resting right against ours, and between the two there's this layering of magic. The layer closest to ours is the magic that's everywhere around us. Deeper levels exist in ley lines. There's some theory that we tap into those layers when we use Floo and even with Portkeys and Apparition."

"How come I didn't hear about that stuff before?"

"What, you think you were going to learn all the Magurist theories in a couple of visits and after reading a handful of books?" Tony asked with amusement.

"Er, right." Harry went back to nibbling, waving for Tony to continue.

"Anyway, sounds like you found a way of slipping into it. Just sounds like more lessons."

"Wow… it's usually Sunny that takes something really amazing and cool and makes it a 'oh, it's just this and we'll do that'."

"I guess I'm taking the day off," Suntree remarked, putting an onion ring on his plate and taking his knife and fork to it. Harry and Tony both paused in their own nibbling to give him an exasperated look. "Don't start with me," Suntree said without looking up. "We all have our oddities."

"Some more than others," Tony murmured, looking at Harry.

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"I don't think we can really hold it against the Director, either," Tony remarked after a little while of onion ring eating. "He couldn't have known it'd suck Jamie in like that."

"Yeah, I know."

"Just making sure. You look like you wanted to get up and hunt him down and give him a vicious piece of your mind when you were talking about it."

Suntree smiled wanly. "Can you blame me?"

"No."

"Besides, I think I'll leave the vicious mind gutting to Davish. He looks like he was tempted to do it, too, and he's more likely to go ahead with it."

"And get away with it," Tony said blandly.

"And for once I'm actually not irritated by the thought."

"Um…?"

Suntree looked over. "Yes, Jamie? Sorry. We weren't trying to talk around you."

"No, I know. But… you seem to have had a bit of a change of heart about Holly… I mean, beyond even earlier today…"

Suntree sat back. "I think it's time we talked to you about Davish." He looked at Tony and exchanged some eyebrow lifting and eye movements.

Tony picked it up. "There're some things we've not been sure how to talk about, if we even needed to, but for Sunny to say that… It looks like it's time to try."

Harry glanced between them, giving a slow nod as he sucked on the raspberries speared on the stirring stick from his tea. "Okay."

"I think we need to trust Jamie's judgment on this after he knows everything," Tony said after a few moments, giving Suntree a pointed look.

Harry perked up. "Really?"

Tony gave him a cautioning look. "After you know everything," he repeated. "And not just know, but after you really think about it and understand it."

"All right."

"I agree," Suntree said quietly, spearing several more onion rings and putting them on his plate. He began to cut one up and eat it.

"So, you may have noticed that a lot of your PDs are quite on guard around Davish," Tony said. "And other people are, too. I'm sure you're quite curious about it by now."

Harry made a sort of agreeing noise.

"There's a reason for it. Some might say it's not a perfect reason, but most would say it's an understandable one. The thing is…" Suntree trailed off, searching for words.

Tony cleared his throat. "The thing is, Davish had a nasty experience that changed him, and he's been a little different since then. The details are probably best left unsaid right now, but he's not quite as…"

"Not quite as stable as-"

"I wouldn't use the word stable," Tony interrupted.

Suntree gave Tony a pointed look. "Are you saying he's as stable as most people? As most Aurors, even?"

Tony sighed. "I guess not. But don't make it out like he's falling apart unstable."

Harry put the stirring stick back in the tea to nibble on an onion ring as they exchanged a few more facial twitching looks.

"Right," Suntree said at last, picking up the conversation. "He's not as stable as most people. He's a little prone to acting rashly, a little prone to acting illogically, and while it's usually just odd kinds of behavior, there have been a few occasions where it was a little more… I guess you could say it was a little more aggressive."

"He's not a bad person," Tony put in firmly. "Not at all. He's a damned fine Auror, even if he doesn't work well with others. But he's- well, sometimes he's not quite with it. It's a little hard to talk about a fellow Auror like this, but the honest truth is that you need to understand this."

"I do," Harry told them when the silence stretched several moments and neither of them spoke. "I do understand."

"Well, you don't quite know the whole story at this point. Perhaps we should wait until after dinner. It's not a pleasant thing to even talk about vaguely."

Harry gave a little sigh. "No, really, I know. Like I said, it's been rather hard to miss how you watch Holly like a hawk, and some of the comments you've all said, and just all sorts of crap and… It's been very hard to miss. I, uh, well, I asked him about it a while ago. A couple of months ago, actually…"

Suntree and Tony exchanged a look. They looked uncomfortable and anxious to varying degrees. "What did he say?" Tony asked after they looked back to him.

"He explained it. Nothing in graphic detail, but I understand."

"Mmhm. What did he say to you?" Suntree asked. "Just to make sure what we know, you know, and what you know, we know."

"He explained things. A nasty experience hardly does justice to three weeks of torture," Harry put in mildly. "And no, don't worry, that's all he said about it. No detail. Nothing at all. But listen, I know what that could mean. I've, uh, I haven't shied away from certain files when going through the closed cases, and, well, even heavily edited, those say a lot." Harry shifted over to give Suntree a tight hug as Suntree stared at him with a sort of sad resignation.

"Jamie…"

"No, it's all right," Harry said quietly. "And no, it's no one's fault that I've read through those things. Really. I mean, really, even some of the history books can say a bit about that sort of stuff. Like real history books, not the dumb school books. So I know enough to understand the possibilities, but don't have definite details."

"How long now?" Suntree asked quietly.

"Maybe… a year now, that I've been browsing through some of those things. There's… you know how sometimes I decide to look at something because there's a hint of magic about it that catches my attention? Those were sort of like that."

"Yeah." Tony sat back with a heavy sigh.

Suntree smoothed Harry's hair back, then gently pushed him away and offered a weak smile. "Doesn't sound like it was something we could have prevented, even if we'd know about it, with magic itself seeming to be involved."

"Yeah…"

Suntree gave his knee a pat. "So, Davish told you about the three weeks. What else did he say?"

"Well," Harry put his onion ring back in the basket to warm it up, "he explained that they did all the stuff they were supposed to after that and he had a while away from work, and then he came back to work after they'd cleared him. But he wasn't back long before something just sort of… snapped inside, or something like that…

"He told me he doesn't remember what happened after that, or much of what happened after he woke up, but that he was told that he attacked someone and, uh, apparently tried to bite their hand off. So they put him on leave for, like, a year and did another intensive round of healing and therapy and stuff. He came back and had to start at the bottom and work back up, but he did, and he hasn't lost it since it happened, like, a decade ago."

"Ah."

Harry picked his onion ring back up to nibble on as Tony and Suntree thought and exchanged looks.

"That's pretty much what happened," Suntree said at last. "Basic facts of it. The thing is… The thing is that it doesn't quite give a full account of things…"

"Careful," Tony murmured.

"I know." Suntree sighed a little. "He's just… unpredictable now. He's never quite gotten violent, but there are flashes of something there, like he's holding himself back by the thinnest margin…"

"Jamie, you know that I have no problem with Davish," Tony told him. "You know that I've been on your side of being friendly with him. But I will admit that sometimes Davish can get into the kind of mood that… it's really best to tiptoe around him when he gets a certain way. You need to be aware of that and watch closely if you really do want to get to know him."

Harry sighed and played with his straw.

"I know that can be a little hard to hear-"

"You've all been so wrapped up in watching Holly closely that you haven't really been noticing much else, have you?" Harry asked, interrupting Suntree. "Did you just think it was luck, the days he was in a bad mood and I didn't act too cheerful or inquisitive?"

Suntree and Tony exchanged a glance.

"Believe it or not," Harry continued before either could speak, "I did listen to everyone's warnings and took them to heart, and- Okay, I know I'm not supposed to, ethic whatever and stuff, but I kind of take a peek at his magical aura to know what's going on with him, okay? Because I did listen to everyone. But if I don't need to tread carefully around him one day, I'm not going to. Has it ever occurred to anyone that being watched so carefully all the time, being tiptoed around all the time, might just be making him more irritable?"

Tony chuckled. "Quite."

"But it's a fine line," Suntree said. "Most would prefer to err on the side of caution."

Harry shrugged and shifted the onion ring basket back into the center of the table, then pushed Suntree's drink to the right. A moment later the chime sounded, and a few seconds after that, the two meals arrived.

"So I'm aware, okay? I bet I'm more aware than you two, or any of the others. I keep an eye on him and adjust the way I act if I need to. And you really don't have to try and tell me that he's damaged, like I can't tell for myself. I can sense it. It's all over his magical aura. His magic's all twisted and knotted and kinked; there're scars and so much strain, so many areas that are worn and patchy. It's really awful. You don't have to try and tell me he's unstable; I can tell just by looking at his magic. Hell, I can tell just when he touches me, his magic is that strained. But a lot of it comes from the environment."

Tony nodded towards the seat beside him. "Come eat your burger before it gets cold."

Harry slid out of the booth and settled next to Tony.

"The environment?" Suntree asked once Harry had resettled.

Harry nodded, motioning for Tony to hand him the ketchup. "When he's on edge, it makes everyone else edgy, you see? And when other people start to get edgy, he's even more on edge and it just keeps going. He knows people don't trust him and are afraid of him. He acts like it doesn't bother him, but… I think it does. I can't imagine how it wouldn't. He might not need to be liked, but most people want to be liked. But he's got this thing hanging over his head he had no control of and it's the first and biggest thing people see when they look at him.

"And that's the awful thing. He had no control over it. It wasn't even like he lost his temper. He just lost it one day and he can't even remember it, and that's an awful feeling. I can understand where he's coming from. I really get it. I know what that feels like. I know how absolutely awful that is…"

Tony dropped a friendly arm over Harry's shoulders, giving him a semi-hug. "Why don't you eat," Tony murmured as Harry's stomach growled loudly, making Harry blush. "We'll talk more about this after you're done."

Harry nodded and picked up the cheeseburger. Mushrooms oozed from the sides, onto the plate.

"You and your extra mushrooms," Tony muttered.

"They're good," Harry mumbled around a mouthful of cheeseburger.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Suntree set to cutting his burger up into manageable sections. Harry and Tony exchanged a commiserating glance at the action.

"Just because I'm not a heathen…" Suntree muttered.

"No heathens here," Tony said with amusement, stealing a seasoned fry from Suntree's plate and barely avoiding a thwack on the hand from Suntree's fork. "Foul beast."

"You should have ordered your own fries."

"Jamie will share with me, won't you, wildcat?"

Harry nodded around his burger.

"Jamie still loves me, at least."

"Good for you."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, Harry watching the fry thieving carefully. He was just setting down his half finished burger and reaching for an onion ring when Suntree spoke.

"Conversation hasn't put you off your appetite, I see."

Harry shook his head. "No, you were right. I'm really hungry."

"Good. Skipping a meal is the last thing you want to do when you're magic worn."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, Sunny." After a moment he nudged Tony and nodded to the milkshake. Tony slid it over.

"I've gone temporarily blind and will honestly tell your mother that I didn't let you order a milkshake."

Harry rolled his eyes at Suntree, but gave him a little smile when Suntree rolled his eyes right back. "You're totally awesome."

"I should hope so."

"Seriously. Totally awesome."

Tony gave him a mock-hurt look. "And what am I?"

"Totally Tony. That's like its own special category of awesome."

Tony laughed. "I think one of the things needed to qualify as a Pottery Defender is a certain level of awesome."

Harry snickered. "Someone somewhere likes me."

"I'd say so, kid." Tony ruffled his hair.

With a smile, Harry set back into his burger, mushroom's oozing out over his fingers.

"That's my boy, ordering the messiest thing in the restaurant." Tony sniggered at Suntree's look of distaste.

It didn't take long for Harry's stomach to inform him that no matter how hungry he might have been, he wasn't finishing the burger, all of his fries, the onions rings and have dessert, too. With regret, he put down the rest of his burger and began to wipe his hands.

"All done with that, wildcat?"

"Yeah. Don't want to stuff myself."

Suntree gave him a knowing look. "Saving room for someone's cobbler, it sounds like to me."

"But not my cobbler," Harry pointed out sweetly, picking up his own fork to spear the escaped mushrooms on his plate. And just because he already had the fork in hand, he used it to eat some of his seasoned fries as well.

"You can have the rest of the milkshake that Sunny can't see." Tony pushed the shake over the rest of the way and took possession of the tea. A few moments later, he picked up the remains of the burger to finish off, as well.

"Thought you had dinner already?" Suntree asked.

"Always room for a dinner-like snack."

"Tony's just a food disposal," Harry said with a grin. "We know that."

"Some habits, wildcat, just aren't worth fighting."

Harry shifted to give Tony a hug, and Tony gave him a grin in return.

After a few minutes, Harry pushed the rest of the fries and mushrooms Tony's way and finished off the last of the onion rings himself. Just a couple of dozen seconds later, there was a chime and the cobbler appeared, bearing two spoons. The empty onion ring basket disappeared, followed just a few moments later by Harry's now empty plate.

"We have more to talk about, right?" Harry asked after accepting the second spoon and enjoying a spoonful of cobbler and cinnamon ice cream.

"We'll talk about it after Tony finishes his cobbler."

Harry snickered as he scooped up another spoonful. "You're aiding and abetting, you know. You're an accomplice."

"I think he's read one too many closed files." Suntree sat back with his water.

"Wildcat? Read too much? Perish the thought."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"I mean, if the boy doesn't have a book in his hand-"

"He's off running around like a maniac, playing sports and attacking people with punch-filled water guns," Suntree cut in dryly.

"I do try," Harry said modestly.

Suntree rolled his eyes. "I thought it all came natural?"

"Well, yes. All natural. But you have to do something with it, you know. Can't just let it sit around collecting dust in the closet of your brain. Doesn't work."

Tony laughed. "That somehow makes no sense and yet makes perfect sense."

"For I am a genius."

"And so unassuming, too," Suntree remarked mildly. "Will wonders never cease?"

Harry grinned. After a few more bites, he put the spoon down with a sigh. "If I eat any more, I'll stuff myself."

"At least you have the good sense not to do that."

"Well, it's rather silly, isn't it? It's not a pleasant feeling, and it's not as if I have to worry about not getting something to eat the next time I'm hungry. And it's not even like the food's going to go to waste."

"Well spoken."

Harry took possession of Tony's water and sipped on it while he waited for Tony to finish the dessert. It didn't take long for Tony to push the cleaned cobbler bowl into the middle of the table. A moment later, it disappeared with a pop. Once it had, Tony shifted, turning mostly sideways in the booth.

"Watch your legs," Harry warned.

"I won't kick you off the seat. Just getting comfortable." Tony kept his legs tucked in close as he finished settling. "Now, you were starting to talk earlier about knowing what it feels like, losing control, before your stomach tried to stage a coup."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He poked at the ice with his straw. "Well… I mean, I obviously don't know what it's like to feel all that strain of everyone watching me closely and expecting me to lose it. I can get it, but I don't actually know it. But I do remember what it's like to just lose it and not remember it. Remember with Al? The bracelets shattered and he had to tackle me to the ground?"

They both made noises of understanding.

"I was told about that," Tony put in.

"I don't remember it. I remember the sudden pain in my wrists, I have a very faint memory of being pinned down at some point, but the next thing I really remember is waking up and being told what happened. It's all just a big blank. It was horrifying and terrifying and so many other things, to learn that I'd done all these things I couldn't remember at all, no matter how hard I tried.

"I don't know how I would have felt if Al and Mom and everyone hadn't been going out of their way to reassure me… I don't even want to imagine waking up from something like that, hearing what happened, and being treated with fear and distance and… So how could I possibly act like I'm afraid of him for that? How? Something he had no control over? That he's paying for every day and has been for over a decade? It's not his fault and I'm not about to treat him like it was…"

"It's all right, Jamie," Tony said quietly, shifting to pull Harry between his legs and against his chest to hug him tightly. "It's all right. I understand."

Harry pressed into Tony and glanced uncertainly to Suntree. Suntree gave him a small smile and nod.

"So, I'm not going to add to that," Harry continued softly. "I just won't. I'll be careful around him, just like I've always been, even if you hadn't noticed. But I'm not going to be one more person that comes into his life and acts just like everyone expects, just like he expects.

"With you, I'm really beginning to understand how parents can feel proud and terrified at the same time when their kids push away and start making decisions that aren't an easy yes or no." Suntree sighed. "I thought we'd all have a few more years with you, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're just as special here as anywhere else."

Harry gave him a wider smile. "So you're not going to act all weird when I continue to be nice to Hollen."

Suntree sighed again. "I can't promise I won't act weird. I do have my own issues with the man. But I'll do my best to stop acting weird just because he's interacting with you. I… I believe now, after seeing him today, that he feels more fondly for you than he professes. He feels more fondly than I thought him possible of, to be honest. I don't think he'd hurt you. So if you continue to be as cautious as you have been, I'll try not to continue to be an idiot."

Harry shifted out of Tony's arms to go around the table and settle in next to Suntree, hugging him tightly. "Thanks."

Suntree snorted. "We can't expect you to act like a mature person if we don't occasionally treat you like one."

"Exactly."

Suntree chuckled. "A little less 'I told you so' in your tone would have been nice, but I suppose you've got a point."

"Mmhm."

"So modest," Tony said dryly.

"Mm."

Suntree gave him a little shake. "You falling asleep there, Jame?"

"Nah, just comfy."

"We should probably get going."

"Mm- okay." He slid out of the seat and back over next to Tony.

"Mizzy?"

A few moments later the elf popped in next to the table. "Yes sirs?"

"My account tonight," Suntree said. "We've got to get the kid back home."

"Very well, sirs. And come back to see us soon."

"Hey, don't pop away yet," Harry told her, sliding out of the seat. "Hugs."

She looked a little amused and greatly delighted as she returned the hug. When he pulled away, she gave his hair a pat into place, though it didn't stay, and pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "You is behaving for Mr. Suntree."

"But not Mr. Tony?" Harry asked with a little snicker.

"Mr. Tony is behaving for Mr. Suntree, too."

Harry full out snickered and chanced a glance over at Tony's perplexed face.

"Wait a minute-" Tony started.

"Mizzy must be getting back to her work, sirs," the elf interrupted. "Have a good night, sirs." She popped away.

"I have to behave for _Sunny_?"

Harry choked on a laugh.

"You heard her. You have to behave for Mr. Suntree." Suntree stood up, mouth twitching as he pulled Harry to his feet.

"That's just wrong."

"Have you been misbehaving, Tony?" Harry teased.

"She's just a cheeky little elf. No wonder you get along so well with her, wildcat."

Suntree slung Harry's bag over his shoulder again. "Come on, kids, we've got to get."

Tony gave Suntree a look but Suntree just smiled serenely and nudged Harry into motion.

Harry skipped on ahead of them, opening the doors and poking about the garden.

"I am so not explaining why he's hyper when he gets home," Suntree muttered.

"Pansy."

"Spoon."

"Pansy."

"Jamie fears The Spoon, too."

"Jamie is eleven. You're fifty something."

"Gee, thanks."

"Maybe even sixty," Tony said thoughtfully. "But anyway, tough as nails Auror. Kicked major ass in his younger days. You should not fear a spoon."

"You'll learn to fear it eventually."

"I rather doubt it."

Harry came over and took Tony's hand with a laugh. "You're so cool."

"See? I'm cool because I don't fear The Spoon. That's a coolness factor that must be maintained. Kids need heroes, don't you know?"

"Especially kid heroes," Harry piped up with a grin.

"Exactly."

"And kid heroes need to get wheels on their bags," Suntree muttered. "I hate to say it, but Davish's right; this thing is heavy."

Tony grinned. "Wildcat? Piggyback?"

"Yeah!"

They stopped and as Tony knelt down for Harry to get settled, Suntree shifted the bag to his other shoulder, watching with an indulgent smile.

"Comfy?"

Harry curled his arms snugly but not too tightly around Tony's neck. "Mmhm."

"Good." Tony stood and curled his hands under Harry's thighs to keep him stable. "Onward we go. And now Sunny can't complain about the twenty five pound bag, as I have a hundred and twenty-"

"One seventeen!"

Tony snorted. "Those three pounds mean that much?"

"They mean I'm not one-twenty."

"You sound like a girl."

Harry sniffed. "I'm a princess."

Tony chuckled. "You're precious."

"That, too."

Tony chuckled again. "Hey, Sunny, we'll catch you up, okay?"

"Don't be long."

"No worries."

Tony slowed until he was lagging behind a bit, then he turned his head slightly to speak quietly. "Hey, 'cat, I want you to know something. I knew Davish when we were younger. I even remember him a little before he changed his name to Davish; it was that long ago. We worked in the same division for quite a few years-" He paused at Harry's little surprised noise. "Yes. I was a special operative for a while, and yes, he was an EOA. Not many know that, so keep it locked away."

"Should I know that?"

"Probably not," Tony said with a grin. "But I'm not worried."

Harry grinned back. "Okay."

"So we worked in the same division for a while, though I transferred to another office before the incident. But yeah, Davish has always been a bit of an odd duck, but you're right that things are much worse for him now. I just want you to know that you've got great judgment, and if any of the others get strange about you being friendly, I'll stand with you on it."

"Thanks," Harry breathed, giving him a light squeeze.

"You seem good for him, if the rumors I've heard about him loosening up in the last few months have any truth to them."

"I'm only sort of-"

"Shh. Trust me, Jamie, I know all about your 'only sort' of ways."

Harry grinned and kissed Tony's temple. "Thanks."

"And I entirely approve."

"I'm glad."

"Family is, after all," Tony said with great satisfaction.

"Family is," Harry repeated.

* * *

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* * *

"Excited?"

"Well, of course," Harry said with a grin, kicking the soccer ball back to Green. "And before you ask, yes, the real orientation went great. It's weird. I almost want summer to just get over with so I can go to school. But then again, Hathorne is fabulous."

"Sounds like you've been spendin' more time with Davish," Green observed with amusement.

Harry grinned all the more. "He's pretty awesome. You need to meet him. I think you'd like him. He's a bit of a jerk, yeah, but he's more laidback than people think. You just have to give him a chance."

"I'm pretty easy to get along with. I expect we won't have much trouble."

"Yeah, even Aki dislikes you less intensely than she dislikes most guys. And she thinks you're unforgivably male most of the time."

"You two!"

Harry glanced around to see Terry waving from the back porch. He waved back. "Yeah?"

"Sunny says you'd better come in before it starts to rain. He doesn't want to have to explain you getting a cold the one night Laney goes out with the girls and leaves him in charge."

"Uh, hello, Pepperup!"

"I don't make the rules! Inside!"

Green grinned, twirling his fingers to levitate the ball up enough to easily grab. "Let's get inside before Sunny gets his panties in a twist."

Harry snickered and headed back to the house. Above them, the sky was slowly darkening with storm clouds. Harry wondered if the tinge of magic he was feeling in the air was really there, or if he was imagining it because of how bad the storm looked.

"Hey, Green," Tony greeted from the kitchen table, looking up from the wand polishing kit he had laid out. "It's been a little while since we've seen you."

Green shrugged, stopping at the fridge to get a bottle of orange juice. "Fourth of July is next week. I've been busy."

Harry peered back into the room from the living room. "What does that have to do with you?"

"I _am_ one of the top explosives experts in the country," Green said dryly. "The USAS likes to put together a big July Fourth thing, and since it involves pretty explosions, I'm their guy."

"Don't you have, like, real work to do?"

"Ha ha."

"Jamie!"

Harry glanced up at the ceiling. "Yeah, Sun?"

"Upstairs! I've ordered the pizza. You better get up here and pick out a movie and take a shower. We won't wait for you."

"Be right up!"

"Kid, you better not pick something like _The Little Mermaid_ again or-"

"I was thinking _Home Alone_," Harry interrupted Green dryly.

Green nodded and shooed Harry out of the kitchen.

Harry tossed out "_Home Alone_" to Suntree as he turned from the stairs towards his room.

"Don't take forever," Suntree warned.

"As if I ever do."

"Only almost always."

"Lies," Harry called back just as he shut the door to his room.

Serish lifted her head from where she was curled up on his dresser, hissing irritably. 'Sorry, Seri,' Harry apologized, not even bothering to find the snake language equivalent of his words. 'But if you insist on being out of the warded snake room, you're just going to have to deal with the noise of being out here.'

'I do not like that common garden snake,' Serish hissed back irritably. 'She still thinks she's going to keep you once her tail has healed.'

'You know she won't,' Harry soothed, coming over to stroke Serish's scales. 'I'll tell her again tomorrow.'

'You better.'

Harry chuckled and rested his other hand on the enchanted rock on which she was curled up. It was still pleasantly warm, but he recharged the warming spell all the same. 'I'm going to shower and then spend some time with my family watching the noisy box. Do you want to come with me when I do?'

'Your nest mates vibrate too much.'

'You can't say I didn't ask.'

'I could if I wanted.'

Harry chuckled again and gave her one last stroke before heading into the bathroom to shower.

He was just stepping out when someone practically pounded on his bedroom door. "What?"

"Open up," Green called out. "I've got something for you."

Harry wrapped a towel around his waist and went out to open the door. He snorted when he saw Green waiting with one of his snakes. Harry cast a quick drying charm on himself and reached out to take the dark snake, running a finger along the yellow stripe down its back.

"Sunny found it behind the couch," Green said with amusement. "He told Tony to bring it back to you and he'd get the pizza instead. Tony told me to catch it."

"You know, I'm beginning to suspect that Suntree has a little problem with snakes," Harry said with a snicker, turning the snake around to look at its face closely.

"I think you're right."

"But I'm wondering how this one keeps getting out of the snake room. None of the others have managed it except Serish and I set it up myself so Serish could leave."

'I told you,' Serish hissed irritably.

Harry glanced back. 'I know. Tomorrow.'

The garter snake hissed out in delight at having found him, and Harry listened to Serish and the garter snake exchange what amounted to snappy remarks for a snake.

"What are they saying?" Green asked curiously, following Harry into the room.

Harry sat the snake on the bed to get dressed. "They're arguing about me. The garter snake wants to keep me and Serish is territorial."

Green laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, real funny," Harry muttered, pulling a shirt over his head. Once he could see something more than shirt, he caught Green giving him a very amused, smirking smile. "What?"

Green glanced down at the shirt and then up to Harry, smirking a little more.

"What?" Harry glanced down at the over-sized Quidditch jersey and blushed, realizing it was the shirt he'd borrowed a couple weeks ago after an impromptu Quidditch game at the USAS headquarters. "Shut up," he muttered. "It's comfortable."

"Does Jamie have a crush on Kevin?" Green teased.

"Shut up. I borrowed a shirt because mine was dirty and sweaty and the cleaning spells made it feel weird. You know that."

Green sat on the bed. "I see you haven't returned it yet."

Harry glared. "I tried," he told Green defensively, "and Kevin told me to keep it when I asked where he got it. Because it's comfortable."

"Aww. And now you're wearing it to bed."

Harry reached into an open drawer and pulled out a pair of balled up socks to throw at Green. Green caught them and grinned all the more when he saw they were rainbow colored.

"It's so cute, all your little crushes."

"I do not- forget it. The more I tell you I don't, the more you'll be an idiot and act like I do." Harry summoned the socks back with a jerk of his hand and went to put them on with a defiant look.

"So what's with the door?" Green asked, nodding to a door that hadn't been there last week, between the chair and the dresser.

"I finally got the knack of large scale space layering." Harry sat back in the chair and wriggled his toes in the rainbow striped socks. "Sunny and I stripped the room of space expansion magic last weekend and he let me go at it fresh. I kept a couple of extra feet in here, and Suntree put up a wall, cutting the room in half. My non-magical friends never notice the couple of feet."

"I'm sure they'll notice a door that leads out onto the roof."

Harry gave him a look.

"What? Oh." Green shrugged. "Only magical people notice it."

"Duh."

"So what are you doing with the other room?"

Harry shrugged. "Right now it's just sort of there. But I think I'm going to buy some plants and get a fountain and stuff to have a gardeny room to meditate in during the winter months. I'm sooo close to unlocking another animal in my trances."

"Good luck with that."

"Love the support," Harry said dryly. "Do you have a reason for still being in my room?"

"All right, fine, if that's the attitude you want to take," Green said with amusement, getting up and making his way around the bed to the door. "I won't invite you to go hiking next weekend."

"Hey, get back here!" Harry sat up as Green stopped in the doorway and peered back into the room.

"Yes?"

"Hiking?"

"I thought you might like to come over next weekend. We could visit the magical springs again, and there're those caves we found last time. I explored them a bit and they seem to be safe so far."

"Awesome! Of course I want to come over." Harry felt a little tickle that said the wards had accepted an Apparition onto the property. He pushed out of the chair and went to collect the garter snake. "Sunny's back with the pizza. Come with me to the snake room. The other snakes are still shy of other people and won't try to talk my ear off if you're there."

Green followed along with a snort. "Want to invite Tony?" he asked once they were in the spare bedroom turned study room for Harry.

Harry grinned back at Green as he nudged open the magically hidden door that led to the snake room. "Aww, does Green have a crush?"

"Hardly."

"You let Tony order you to bring me the snake, you're inviting him to go hiking with us, you-"

"Hardly," Green interrupted, watching Harry put the snake back into the glass enclosure to the left. He studied the other enclosures, several holding a snake and one a turtle. "I just thought it'd be nice to invite him. He likes that sort of stuff."

Harry grinned. "Green's got a crush. Green's got a crush."

"Shush. I do not. Fine, you don't have a crush on Kevin. Are you happy now?"

Harry grinned even more.

"Besides, even if Tony were my type, which he very much isn't, I rather think Tony has his eye on someone else."

Harry turned away from checking the magical containment spells. "Ooh, who? Who?"

"I'm not telling." Green snorted. "No way am I saying anything. He'll go honey badger on me."

"He'll what?"

Green laughed. "You didn't know?"

"Obviously not." Harry turned back to the cage, frowning as he tried to find some flaw in the containing magic that was allowing the new snake to escape. "Another Animagus form, I take it?"

"Yep."

"You know, seriously," Harry turned and put his hands on his hips, "I don't know why you people seem to think it's funny, not telling me all your forms and letting me find out randomly."

"Because it's funny."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"Anyway, honey badgers are thought to be the meanest and most fearless animals in the world. They're small. I think maybe the size of a cat. But they're thought to be able to castrate animals as big as a buffalo. And seeing as how Animagus forms reflect on personalities… I'm not about to piss off Tony."

Harry snickered and then thought about it. "Whoa… Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"But he's not mean."

"Not to people he likes, no. But I'm sure he can be pretty damned mean when he has to be."

Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah… Okay, fine, you don't have a crush on Tony and you won't tell me who he has a crush on. You suck."

Green dropped an arm over Harry's shoulders once Harry had come back over, grinning. "Yeah, yeah."

"So, what is your type?"

"Hm?"

"Your type. You said he's not your type. What's your type?"

"Ah… I guess I, uh…"

"Well?"

"It's, you know…"

Harry grinned. "You like something embarrassing, don't you? Huh? You do, don't you? Come on, you know you do."

"I do not."

Harry snickered, nudging Green with his elbow as they left the room. "Then come on. Tell me. I'll bug you all night long. I'll have Al bug you for forever-"

"Where's Al anyway?"

"Don't change the subject. And you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"You make it sound like he's on a date or something," Green said with a snort.

"See? You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Green stopped in the hallway to give Harry a very surprised look. "He's seriously on a date?"

"Freakish, isn't it?" Terry called out from where he was lounging on the couch. "I didn't believe him when he first said he was going out tonight."

"Is she a troll or something? Deaf? Dumb?"

Harry pushed Green. "Be nice. Just because Al's, um… very Al, well, it doesn't mean, I mean, she could just be, well- okay, stop laughing! I'm sure she's charming and lovely and, um, nice."

"Not smart?" Terry asked with a grin as Harry dropped onto the couch beside him.

"I'm sure she's perfectly lovely."

"Yeah, sure, lovely and dumb as a brick, I bet."

Harry glared half heartedly at Green. Green grinned back, sprawling out in a chair. "Come on, be nice, seriously. Al's nice."

"Yeah, Al's a great guy," Green said agreeably. "He's good to go out for a beer with and to watch football with, and he's freakishly good at poker. If you need something, he'll be there to help out if he can, no questions asked. Great guy. But Al and the ladies… it's a train wreck. I've seen it. It's like his brain just stops working. You've never seen him in a bar."

"Jamie!"

"When did you start going out to bars with Al?" Harry asked, getting up to peer over the railing into the entry hall to see why Suntree was calling him.

"Come help me," Suntree called up to him, looking down at the pizza boxes in his arms.

"Dude, magic," Harry said, glancing back and making a motion to Tony. Tony held up his wand and Harry summoned it with a flick of his fingers then swished the wand at the boxes. They levitated up and floated gently over to the coffee table.

"Magic is going to make you lazy," Suntree called out, looking entirely amused as he headed for the stairs. "And don't call me dude."

"Bah." Harry turned back around and gave Green a look. "Well?"

"Well what? Oh. I don't know; we just go out occasionally, get a beer, watch a game. I've asked the others, but-"

"Not my thing," Tony interrupted.

"And I'm usually busy," Terry said, leaning forward to open the pizza boxes. "Oh… Who? Who is responsible for this? Why is this here?"

Harry came over and grinned at the pineapple and anchovy pizza. Tony sat up and pulled the box onto his lap with a very pleased grin.

"That is so gross." Terry got up to sit on the other side of the couch.

"Means there's more for me."

"We've got seven pizzas," Suntree said dryly as he came into the room. "I think we're okay. And we could use plates, you know."

"Hm, good idea." Terry hit the top of one of the boxes with a cutting charm and piled a couple of pieces onto the section of cardboard. "Here we go."

"Not what I'd meant," Suntree muttered.

"Hey, why isn't Mr. John here?" Harry asked, looking up from opening the boxes to see what all they'd ordered.

"He's got a dinner engagement tonight," Suntree answered, summoning a plate from the kitchen. "With a cousin."

"He doesn't have any siblings or cousins…" Harry frowned. "Does he? I thought he didn't."

"He doesn't. I asked, too. I was confused. It's his second cousin, or as he explained it, his grandmother's sister's daughter's son."

Everyone stopped what they were doing to think about that.

Terry put his piece of pizza down. "Wait a second… what?"

"I don't make the ancestry rules. I just know them."

"Because you know everything," Terry muttered.

"And your grandmother's sister would be your great-aunt, your great-aunt's daughter would be your first cousin, once removed, and therefore that person's child would be your second cousin."

Terry continued to stare at him.

"Forget it." Harry went back to gathering his own pizza. "That's too weird. Keep that stuff in your brain, Suntree."

"I was asked."

"Keep it in your brain. And don't eat your pizza with a knife and fork." Harry huffed and gave Suntree a 'why are you hopeless?' look. Suntree cut off another section of pizza with a smile.

"Are we ready for the movie now?" Green asked.

"You were telling me your type." Harry smiled sweetly. "I didn't forget."

"His type what?" Tony asked around a mouthful of pizza.

"The type of guys he likes."

"I don't need to hear this," Terry put in, putting a foot up on the coffee table. "Really, I don't."

"It's something embarrassing," Harry said with a knowing nod.

"It's not embarrassing," Green put in quickly. "Tony's just not- Ookay, I can't believe I just said that…" Green muttered, seeing everyone stop eating to stare at him. "Well fuck…"

"Do tell," Tony said dryly. "Please, do."

"Ooh, Green cussed," Harry sang out. "Green's gotta put a quarter in the cussing jar."

"You're five, you know that?" Green said, putting his pizza down to dig a quarter out of his pocket. He tossed it onto the coffee table. "I'll put it in later. And thank you ever so much. The conversation, Tony, was Jamie acting like I had a crush on you because I suggested you might like to go hiking with us next weekend. You're great, but not my type. That's basically what I said."

"I wouldn't have cared either way," Tony said, reaching for his root beer. He saluted Green. "Always nice to know, though. And sure, hiking sounds fun."

"I get the feeling I'm going to regret this," Terry said slowly, "but I'm very curious now. Damn my curiosity-"

"Ooh, another cuss word!"

Terry dug a quarter out of his pocket with a sigh. "Could we, I don't know, forget the cussing rule when your mother's not around?"

Harry smiled sweetly as he put his pizza aside to pick up Terry's quarter, collect Green's from the table and summon the dragon cookie jar from downstairs. "Nope. Mom said that if I enforced the rule when she wasn't around, she'd use the money to buy me something nice once the jar is full."

"Your mother is evil," Terry said. "Evil."

"She's great." Harry put the jar on a shelf of the entertainment center and sat back down to eat his pizza.

"And I'm not going into any 'my type' details tonight," Green said firmly. "So start the movie."

"All right," Harry said quite agreeably. "Another night, then."

"Start the movie."

Harry summoned the remote from the table and hit play.

* * *

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* * *

"So…" Harry caught the water bottle that Green tossed his way. "When are you going to teach me to shoot a real gun?"

Green lifted his brows. "Excuse me?"

Harry twisted the cap off of the bottle, giving Green a measured, assured look he'd been practicing in the mirror. "When are you going to teach me to shoot a real gun? I freakin' love paintball, but it's not exactly like using a real gun."

"Exactly." Green gave him a pointed look.

"What's with the somber faces?" Tony asked as he rounded the last turn on the faint trail they were following. "And you guys could have waited."

Green snorted. "We had no way of knowing how long you'd watch that bird."

"I said give me a couple of minutes." Tony dropped down next to Harry on one of the large rocks. "You don't often see those birds in the wild."

"A benefit of living on the edge of one of the magical national parks," Green said with a shrug.

"So what are the sober faces about, huh?"

Green shook his head.

"I asked Green when I'd learn to shoot a real gun," Harry answered matter-of-factly. "He won't even entertain the idea. What do you think, Tony?"

Tony pulled out his own water, but set it aside to bend over one of his shoes, undoing the laces as he studied Harry thoughtfully. "Well," he said, only once he was pulling the shoe off and shaking out a pebble. "Why do you want to learn that, Jamie?"

Harry slid off of the rock and onto the ground, stretching his legs out in front of him and reaching out to grip the toes of his shoes. "Because it's… Not because I'd think it'd be cool. And it's not because I want to try and grow up quickly and be great at everything. It's sort of for the same reason that Suntree wants me to start to learn to drive next summer, the being prepared just in case sort of thing. I ought to know how guns work, at the very least. But I really should know how to use one, if I ever really need to. After I start at Hathorne, I'll be more in the public than ever."

"You'll always be with one of your PDs," Tony pointed out.

"Even more reason," Harry countered. "If something ever does happen when I'm out with you guys… I know you'll take care of me, okay? But if one of you loses your gun, because I know you wear them, but if one of you loses your gun, or if someone else has a gun and they lose it, and if I get my hands on it… I don't want to be sitting there with a weapon I don't know how to use, even if I have no intention of using it or anything."

Tony and Green exchanged a thoughtful look.

"Holly always says to never put a weapon into your hands if you don't know what you're doing with it," Harry added. "And I'd sure as hell rather have a dropped weapon in my hands instead of just on the ground where someone else could pick it up."

"You do have a point there," Tony said.

"I sense a 'but' with that."

Green fixed Harry with a very serious look. "Wands are strange tools, Jamie. They can save a life just as easily as take one and everything in between. Wands are also a tool that we have almost no choice but to learn to use because magic untrained is magic without boundaries and it can cause serious problems. Do you understand?"

"I think so…"

"And our bodies are just as varied a tool. We can just as easily save a life with our hands as take one. And our bodies are as inescapable as our magic, so we should know what we're capable of with both of them."

"But?"

"But a gun, Jamie, is a weapon more than anything else, and it's a weapon you have a choice in picking up and using. Of course you can always choose not to pick up a wand or use wandless magic, you can always choose not to lift a hand, but there always comes a point when your body or your magic will do on its own what you refuse to do. And that's why we gladly give you lessons and train you so that when your body reacts, even if you don't, it reacts in the best way to help you. Do you see?"

"I… I think so."

"A weapon you have a choice about picking up, Jamie, is a weapon you should only ever pick up if you are fully prepared to use that weapon." Green reached out to tug on a lock of Harry's hair gently. "As amazing as you can be, Jamie, you're not ready for the responsibility of holding life and death in your hands."

Harry bit his lip. "But what about…?"

"How about this - I'll teach you everything there is to know about a gun right now except how to shoot it? So if you ever get your hands on a gun in an example like you gave, you take out the bullets, you take it apart, you find a way to jam it or freeze the safety so it can't be taken off or anything else that'll accomplish getting the gun away from the bad guys. How does that sound?"

Harry nodded. "But one day you will teach me?"

"I'm the gun guy, kiddo," Green said with a light chuckle. "There's no way I'm letting anyone else teach you."

Harry gave him a small smile. "Cool. Thanks."

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"I don't have all day to wait for you to get ready," Hollen snapped.

Harry peered up at him through his bangs as he finished tying his shoes, delaying a few more seconds as he eased up on his shielding to study Hollen's magical aura. He was glad Hollen was pacing and couldn't see the shocked look on his face.

"Bad enough you two were late," Hollen growled, glaring in Suntree's direction.

Suntree raised a brow. "By a minute."

"Late."

Suntree just shrugged.

"And you, come-"

"I'm done," Harry interrupted, standing.

"Hopefully you won't be as pathetic this week as you were last week," Hollen said, drawing his wand with a slightly jerky movement.

"Umm! I was thinking!" Harry crossed over to where Hollen was and laid a hand on his arm. "I was-"

"Don't touch me," Hollen barked, jerking his arm away and taking several steps back.

"I'm sorry. Um. Maybe we should cover the theory from last week? Yeah? You always say I'm good with theory. I'll do better if you go over the theory with me."

Hollen gave him a hard stare that almost bordered on a glare. "Don't fish for compliments from me."

"I'm not," Harry assured quickly. "Not at all. Just trying to, you know, be better."

"You sure can't get any worse," Hollen muttered.

"Right! So, theory maybe?"

"Cover theory in your own time," Hollen snapped. "You should come prepared with theory."

"Well, I didn't cover any theory for today. I'm sorry. I forgot."

"Then I have nothing to teach you." Hollen gave him another hard stare that bordered on a glare as he put his wand away. "And I'm not going over last week's stuff again."

"Okay. I guess you should, um, go back to doing better things."

"I planned on it." Hollen stalked out, barely sparing Suntree a glance.

"So…" Harry said into the heavy silence left behind. "You were surprisingly quiet there, Sun."

"You were surprisingly submissive," Suntree responded mildly.

"Yeah… He was…"

"We did warn you that he has these mood swings."

"I know." Harry nodded. "I know."

"Don't expect any apologies from him," Suntree warned. "He doesn't apologize."

"I'm not surprised."

Suntree motioned him over. "Are you all right?" he asked once he'd pulled Harry against him into a hug.

"Yeah, I'm… I'm fine. But…"

"But?"

"His magic… it's so…"

"So?"

"Like… most people… it's kind of like it's layered. If you were to take lots of different colored sands and pour them into a jar in whatever way, you'd have some odd shapes and lumps and dips and stuff, one area of color that isn't anywhere else, a thin layer of color all around, a big mountain of color, whatever. You know what I mean?"

Suntree nodded, making a little noise of understanding.

"That's sort of how most magical auras look, except I don't really see colors. I sort of see them because I feel them and I sort of feel them because I see them. You can't really… define it by a normal sense…"

"Go on."

"But, well… imagine you shook the sand up a little bit, okay. So things aren't very neat and colors are sort of mixing here and there with other colors and things are sort of… fuzzy… but they're still mostly recognizable. Can you picture that?"

"Yes."

"That's usually what Holly's magical aura is like. Kind of messed up, lots of rough wear on it, and to really complete the picture, the glass the sand's in is kind of cracked here and there and smudged and there's some chips and stuff. But it's kind of still together, okay? But… today…" Harry pulled back a little to look up at Suntree.

"Today it's fuzzier?"

Harry shook his head. "No… Today it's… like someone took the glass and just shook it up completely. There's, like… little patches that are recognizable, but… it's a mess. And the glass… a lot of cracks. A lot more. And so smudged… That's the only way I can put it. He's… I don't even know what all that means. I didn't think it was possible to have that much… emotional and magical chaos…"

"Maybe something is going on in his private life," Suntree suggested quietly. "He took several personal days off at the beginning of the week."

"Maybe. That's a lot, though… That's so much…"

"Maybe I ought to drop a word in someone's ear and have a healer check up on him," Suntree mused.

Harry felt a twitch of discomfort at those words that he couldn't place. "I don't know…" he said slowly. "Maybe… we shouldn't interfere. If it's still that bad the next time I see him… maybe… But not right now."

Suntree gave him a curious look.

"Just doesn't feel right. Not this time."

"All right, not this time."

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Harry glanced up at the knock on his door. "Yes?"

"Can I come in?"

Harry sighed. "Right now?"

"Why? Are you doing something you shouldn't be?"

"No… I just don't want to get dressed…"

Suntree made a fond, exasperated noise from the other side of the door. "I swear, every time you visit Bran, you come back even more of a nudist than when you left."

Harry stuck his tongue out at the door.

"And put that tongue back in your mouth."

"You're not cool, man. You and your crazy psychic knowing stuff."

Suntree chuckled. "I'll tell you how I do that if you let me in."

"And you're evil…" Harry sighed and rolled out of bed to find some shorts. "Fine, come in," he called out as he crawled back onto the bed and flopped down. He shifted a few papers around.

"Decent then?" Suntree asked, peering around the door.

"I was decent before," Harry muttered. "I just wasn't wearing any clothes."

"Anyway…"

"Hm? Hey." Harry looked up from the party information spread out on his bed. "Is it really true that the press will get in big trouble if they try to go to my birthday party next week?"

"Yes, it's really true." Suntree sat next to where Harry was sprawled out on his stomach. "It's a coming into oneself kind of thing, and people think that it's too much pressure when there are parts of the party that are already going to have enough pressure for some people – such as meeting people important to one's future."

Harry nodded absently, only half listening. "I can't believe you got some of my favorite bands to come play."

Suntree snorted. "I can't believe you still haven't figured out that you're that big of a deal in the magical world."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Not that big."

"Yeah, that big. Super big. You saw how much response there was to Jer sending in that picture to the papers. It was in the news for days, all because people had a face to link to Harry Potter."

"People are weird," Harry said with conviction. "Super weird."

"Be that as it may, it doesn't change reality."

"Reality is super weird."

"What are you doing with all this stuff, anyway?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Mom said I should review it, handed me a folder and sat down to have a cup of tea with Kathy. So I'm, you know, reviewing it."

Suntree snorted and shifted to sit more properly on the bed, toeing off his shoes to settle sitting back against the headboard, legs out in front of him. Harry stared at his socks. "Can I help you?" Suntree asked.

Harry looked up at him. "Sunny… your socks have orange monkeys on them…"

"Yes, they do."

"You are so awesome weird."

"Thank you. And I notice your shorts have little rainbows all over them."

"Yes, they do," Harry said primly, giving Suntree a haughty look. "And they make me look-"

"Gay."

"Well, I am," Harry said.

"Yes, you are. Come here. I'll go over that stuff with you in a little while. I want to talk to you."

Harry pushed the papers away and wriggled around so he was facing Suntree. He snagged a pillow covered in roaring dragons and tucked it under his chest. "What's up?"

"Jamie, the day you met the Director… Davish made some remarks to you about me-"

"No, he- he talked to me about that. He said it wasn't a big deal. Not that I thought it was. But he said it wasn't anything, just normal stuff for you, whatever, and that you were a good person."

Suntree frowned slightly. "He said that about me?"

"Yeah, he did."

"Oh." Suntree glanced away for a moment and then looked back to Harry. "But about what he said, I do want to explain. But this is secret stuff, confidential. You probably don't have enough clearance for it, but I'm going to tell you anyway. So…" Suntree pulled out his wand and cast a secrecy ward.

Harry felt it connect to a secrecy ward that was built into the wards of the house, dropping it down over the room they were in. "Oh!"

"'Oh?' What is 'oh'?"

"I'd always wondered how you guys put up these super strong secrecy wards and stuff without much effort. But it's built into the house! You can just stretch it to completely encompass a small space."

"Yes, exactly. Is this the first time you've felt that?"

"It is."

"Your sensing ability is getting better tuned then."

"Guess so. But you wanted to talk."

"I did. I do. Yes." Suntree gave him a faint smile. "Listen, there was an investigation going on regarding me. He was right. I don't know how he knew that, but he was right. And he was right that they always do clear me at the end of an investigation, meaning there have been other investigations. But he was also right in saying that it's just normal stuff for me, no big deal…"

Harry wriggled closer to transfer the pillow to Suntree's lap and fold his arms atop the pillow, chin on his arms. "Okay."

Suntree smiled a little more, reaching out to smooth Harry's hair back. "You see, I do a lot of undercover work. I have an ability that helps me to fit in with any group that I need to infiltrate, and my memory is a big asset. I never forget anything. And I do mean anything. So I always know exactly what I've said, what they've said to me, what I should know and shouldn't know, the way something looked, the way someone sounded, you know…"

"Wow. That sure explains a lot."

"I know you've all joked about my having a photographic memory," Suntree said with a little chuckle. "And it's mostly right. But it goes deeper than that. You see, I'm incapable of forgetting anything. And memory charms of any kind… there aren't any spells that actually work. So once I know something, have it in my memory, it's there. It can't go away. But the spells look like they work, so people think it's worked. And having perfect recall means that I know exactly what they think they've gotten rid of, and I can remember to not let on."

Harry gave him a wide-eyed look. "So… wow…"

"But the real… ability that I have, that I mentioned, it's the thing that made Davish make those remarks. It's why the USAS investigates me deeply and has to clear me after every undercover assignment. And they're just covering themselves; I don't take it personally. But it's…"

"It's?" Harry prompted.

Suntree licked his lips, eyes half closing. "When I was a little younger than you are now," he said softly, "I witnessed something… horrific. They say. My family, that is. I have no memory of this. I was apparently one of those people that are highly resistant to memory charms, but not… completely resistant… so the UPD tried a-"

"UPD?" Harry interrupted. "Sorry."

"No, it's all right. The Unexplained Phenomenon Department of the government. It's like the British Department of Mysteries."

"Oh, okay. Sorry, go on."

"Well, the UPD, they were involved in the memory charming regarding the event because whatever it was I had witnessed, it had apparently distressed me beyond my ability to cope. My family tells me, because I have no memory of any of this, but my family tells me that I was having horrible nightmares. I could barely sleep through the night. I could barely keep food down during the day. I was just… a nervous wreck for some reason…"

"I'm sorry," Harry murmured, sitting up to hug him.

"It's okay," Suntree murmured with a little smile, hugging him back. With a tug, he settled Harry against his side. "I don't remember any of this, Jamie, so it doesn't really bother me."

"I still feel bad."

"And that's what makes you who you are." He kissed Harry's hair. "But, so, the UPD was pulled in when normal memory charms weren't working and they tried something experimental that they had tested on resistant individuals and had had some success with. And it worked. Beautifully, in fact. But it also kind of backfired a little."

"So… it made you not forget anything after it'd been done, even though you forgot about the horrible thing?"

"Very clever," Suntree murmured. "Yes. You're mostly right. But actually, it made me not forget anything after they did the charm… and it made me forget everything before they did the charm… Not just the event, but everything, completely wiped clean."

"Oh, Sunny…" Harry hugged him harder. "But you got it back, right?" he asked with a little tremble in his voice. "I mean…"

"No, I didn't." He pulled Harry onto his lap, hugging him closely. "It's all right, Jame. That was a long, long time ago. And not remembering means… I don't really know what I lost when it happened. I was incapable of understanding, in fact…"

"What does that mean?" Harry whispered.

"I lost everything. I couldn't have told you my name. I didn't know how to tie my shoes. I didn't know what the color blue was. I had none of those learned things, like fire being hot, or anything like that. I had no concept of language or communication or anything… I had no concept of right and wrong, good or bad. It wasn't even like being just born, either. Even newborn babies have some basic recognition of their mother. They have things that soothe them from before they were born. I had nothing."

"Oh, Sunny…"

"It was a very stressful time for my family," Suntree murmured, rubbing Harry's back reassuringly. "The good thing about my inability to forget at that time was that I learned things so quickly. Once I began to pick up the basics, everything just… began to fall into place. It was like there were areas of my mind where the information would fit perfectly; they just needed to be filled. But before they realized that, oh God…"

"Before they realized it?" Harry breathed.

"They put me in a, um, hospital. A psychiatric ward. Long term. They thought I was… well, obviously they thought that was it. I didn't really respond for weeks. I was just taking things in. It was an information overload for me. I mean… everything was new. And my brain had developed enough that things weren't filtered the same way as they are for a newborn… It was really just an overload…"

Harry hugged him tightly, his breath hitching a little. "I'm so sorry."

"No, it's okay. It really is." Suntree pressed a kiss to his hair. "It's really okay. Because things obviously got better. I'm here now, with you. Things got better. They figured it out. Specialists came in and found a way to help me relearn everything I needed. Within three years, I was almost back to normal. I just sucked up information and made it a part of me. And therein lays my ability. I don't just remember, but everything I remember, it's a part of me. Do you see it?"

"Um, no, not really," Harry said slowly.

"When I come up with another person to be for an assignment, that person is just as much me as I am. Because that's what I am. A string of memories. That's what we all are, really. But my string is just a little more vivid and a little easier for me to control. That's what makes me so damn good at it. And that's why they have to do an investigation into me after every single undercover assignment, just to be able to clear my name and say that I've put those new impressions and ways of being on a shelf in my mind."

"Oh…"

"You see?"

"Yeah."

Suntree shifted Harry into a more comfortable position, pushing him away gently to look at his face. He smiled a little at seeing the shiny eyes and slightly damp lashes. "You're a sweetheart," he said softly. "I love you, Jamie. I really do."

"I love you, too, Sunny," Harry whispered, hugging Suntree tightly again. "I really, really, really do."

"I know you do."

Harry sniffled a little. "But that's still so awful… I mean, I can't even… oh, God, to not be able to remember you or Mom or Tony or… Oh God…"

"To be honest, Jamie, it was harder on my family than it was on me," Suntree said softly. "It was. I didn't remember. It didn't bother me. At first. It did eventually. But they remembered me and I know now that … every time my family looked at me, it wasn't me they saw. I was a stranger. They'd say things thinking I'd remember and then get upset when I didn't. But after a while, it was hard on me. Not the being unable to remember them, though. It was hard because I wanted to be accepted as me, and they just couldn't let go of who I'd been…"

"That's so awful," Harry whispered, sniffling again. "So awful…"

"When I was fifteen, my parents sent me to live with my aunt on my mother's side. That crazy old lady," he said with a fond laugh. "She didn't know me so well before the accident, so she had less to remember. I lived with her from then on. It was so much better. And she traveled. My God, that woman traveled. So I traveled. I saw the world and home schooled myself practically. And that's why I know so many people. Because I remember everyone I ever met after the incident."

Harry snorted a little.

"Yeah, well, I take what I can get," Suntree said with a little laugh.

"It's still awful, Sunny."

"I know. But it could have been worse. Things ended well. I have a wonderful relationship with my aunt and some cousins on my father's side. I get along reasonably with my own siblings, although we feel more like cousins. My parents have had enough time to accept it and not expect anything of me. Being so much older helps. They're less likely to reminisce about my first ten years now than they were before. I've had so many more years. I've got a great job, I've got friends, I've seen wonderful things and met wonderful people, and I can remember it all in vivid detail. It's not so bad."

"Still not so good," Harry murmured.

"But not so bad. Compared to how it could have been, it's not so bad at all."

Harry let out a heavy breath. "Still not good."

"I don't know." Suntree tipped his head up to smile at him. "The USAS approached me when I was almost seventeen and took me in immediately. I was a full field agent by the time I was twenty-two. That's damned impressive. Almost a record breaking age, in fact. And it ended with me here. I think that's good. I think that's very good."

Harry gave him a weak smile.

"In fact, I think it's one of the best things that's ever happened to me in my life. I can't remember anything better. And if I can't remember something, it didn't happen."

Harry gave a tear filled laugh, hugging Suntree tightly. "I guess that's not so bad," he said thickly.

"No, that's not so bad at all," Suntree agreed, kissing Harry's hair. "Not so bad at all."


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes. The KKKKK when I separate scenes is to make it harder for ffnet to mess up the scene divisions.

Reviews: I adore everyone!

Betas: Hugs to them all. Hugs! And bananas!

AN: I have achieved stiff, occasionally uncomfortable, but no longer painful typing! Restricted range of movement (Damn you, Z, damn you! And your little friend Q, too!), but I'm just going to have to get used to that. And I'll be posting information on Hathorne classes soon'ish as some extra info on the Ygroup. And, gryn, always accepting art for the fic should someone be so moved.

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 36

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"Do you remember all of those mock interviews you've been doing with Jer this summer?" Suntree murmured, steering Harry around a knot of people and heading for a less traveled hallway leading from the Quidditch stadium.

"Mm, yeah," Harry answered absently, flipping through the Quidditch highlights book he'd bought before the game.

"Think you're up for trying the real thing?"

"Um… when?"

"Right now."

Harry looked up at Suntree in surprise. "What? Right now? What do you mean, right now?"

"You've been preparing for several months."

"But _right now_?" Harry looked around, but saw no one waiting for them in the hallway. "I don't want to go outside with all those reporters and cameras flashing and people around and-"

"It'll be a private little meeting," Suntree said calmly, stopping next to the wall to talk. Al and Green took up casual positions to either side, relaxed but alert, watching either end of the hallway. "It should only take a few minutes. But you don't have to do this. The reporters know that you might not have a chance to speak to them after the game. If you say no, that's fine. But this is an ideal time and place to give an interview."

"Why is that?"

"Because it's after a game. They'll understand that it's been a long, exciting afternoon and you won't be up to saying much. They'll be very appreciative that you took the time to speak to them, though, and very pleased to be the ones who get your first face to face interview. It's the day before your birthday, so they'll also be pleased to get a word with you before your big party. It'll be a big story for them, no matter how little you say."

"Why didn't you guys warn me?!"

"Because it'll sound better if you don't have time to think about it, mulling over questions, preparing answers in your head."

Harry scowled.

"You can say no."

"They're expecting me," Harry muttered.

"You can say no," Suntree repeated.

"They're expecting me."

"Still…"

Harry fidgeted and then sighed. "I guess…"

"If you don't really want to do this-"

"I'm not gonna ever want to do this," he interrupted with a grumble. "But I might as well get it over with."

Suntree gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze. "You're more prepared for this than you realize. Just relax, put up your Occlumency shields, chat with them, be yourself."

Harry smiled a little weakly. "All right."

He ruffled Harry's hair, snickering as Harry grumbled about making it look awful. "Come on." He gave Harry's shoulder another squeeze and began to guide him down the hallway again, stopping short after rounding a corner. There was a slightly open door just ahead of them and Al disappeared through it, emerging shortly after with a half grin, motioning them forward. Harry hesitated until Suntree nudged him forward.

Harry was surprised that there were only three people in the room, sitting in chairs arranged in a line across from another line of empty chairs. He was also surprised that he recognized two of the reporters from their columns; Andrew Edward and Cari-Ann Kell looked just like their picture. The third man he didn't recognize and he would have remembered those striking green-blue eyes under the mop of dirty blonde hair. They all looked up and studied him curiously.

Harry gave them a weak smile. "Hi…"

"Harry." Suntree touched his arm to guide him over to the empty chairs and in front of them. "This is Solomon Pride with _Scrying_ _Pool_, Andrew Edward with _Magical Times_ and Cari-Ann Kell with _Witching Hour_."

Harry accepted their enthusiastic handshakes and even more enthusiastic greetings, doing little more than nodding back before Suntree pointed him to the empty middle chair behind them. Suntree settled next to him matter-of-factly as Green moved to stand behind him. Al slouched in the doorway. If the reporters were unnerved by their presence, they didn't show it.

"We can't stay long," Suntree warned. "Harry has a busy weekend ahead of him and he's had a long day. And yes, you can use dicta-quills if you allow me to read the transcript afterward. If you use mini-recorders, please be aware that you don't have permission to use his voice recording for anything other than the intended purpose. You should have been sent something by his press agent…?"

The three murmured various forms of agreement.

"Good. Then we're all set."

"Mr. Potter," Cari-Ann said with a warm, pleased smile, reaching over to an empty chair beside her to turn on a recorder. "Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak to you like this. Did you enjoy the match this afternoon?"

Harry couldn't help but grin a little as he thought about the match. "Of course, it's Quidditch."

She laughed. "Of course. Which team were you cheering for?"

Harry hesitated, glancing over at Suntree for a second before looking back at her. "Um, I'd actually rather not say. Though… I will say that while I like both teams a lot, neither of them are my favorite team."

"And I imagine you won't tell us that team either?" Solomon put in, leaning over to check his dicta-quill.

Harry shook his head. "No, uh, you know. Sorry."

"Are you looking forward to your birthday celebration, Mr. Potter?" Andrew asked, jotting down handwritten notes even as a tape recorder ran beside him.

"Mostly, yeah. I mean, a lot of it will be fun. But the last day is a lot more business than fun, you know, what with it focusing on the future and there being a lot of important type people there."

"Anything you can share about the upcoming celebration?" Solomon asked, leaning forward eagerly.

Harry hesitated. "Well. It's probably, um, going to be pretty normal, the things that aren't normal aside. On the first day, just the family and friends day, it'll be pretty much games and pizza and swimming and other things. Pretty normal. And the other parts will have music and food and, uh, there won't really be anything special going on."

"You're supposed to have some pretty important people attending," Solomon continued, leaning forward a little more, "from the government and other places."

Harry considered that, picking at the edge of the price sticker on his Quidditch book. "Right. Okay, no offense to anyone who'll be there the second and third day, uh, especially the third day, but as far as I'm concerned, the most important people to me will be there the first day, my family and friends and all of them."

"Can you comment on anyone attending?" Solomon pressed, leaning a little closer.

Harry studied him. "Um… No, I really can't. But… if you lean forward any more, I think you're going to fall out of your chair, so you might want to be careful."

Solomon looked startled as the other two snickered, then laughed himself, straightening up properly again. "Right."

"Are you expecting a large turnout?" Cari-Ann jumped in.

"Oh… Well, I don't think anyone would believe me if I said no," Harry said with a laugh. "So it's kind of a moot sort of question. But whatever people might be thinking, like a couple thousand people or something, that's not going to happen. Seriously, it's just going to be a normal sort of party and then just a bunch of important people eating cheese and cake and maybe even cheesecake. I don't know, but you know, doing whatever important people do when they get together for parties."

Andrew flipped over to a new page in his notebook. "You're starting at Hathorne Institute of Magic this year, yes?"

"Yeah."

"Are you looking forward to it?"

Harry laughed. "If I wasn't looking forward to it, there's no way I'd be going. It's Hathorne. Of course I'm looking forward to it. It's a great school."

"You've released statements about having excellent private tutors," Cari-Ann put in. "Do you think you'll be ahead of others starting this year?"

"At Hathorne?" Harry laughed. "That's totally part of Hathorne, you know, part of the charm and all of that; you start at your level of skill, not the average level of skill. I'll be in higher level classes, just like everyone else that starts. But I'll also be taking classes at the entry level, just like everyone else."

"I heard a rumor that you almost qualified for the J-pro charity Quidditch team this year," Solomon remarked. "Is that true?"

Harry's brows went up. "Where'd you hear that?" he asked curiously.

"I have my sources."

"No, I mean- well, it's not that it's a big deal or anything. I imagine a lot of people at the Quidditch camp would have heard that from someone there. I was just curious." He shrugged. "I was told that I was good enough for it, but it wasn't, like, guaranteed. I'd practically be guaranteed a spot next year if I worked on some areas that the pros at the camp suggested, though. And I figure you'll ask, so no, I can't say that I'd totally play if I was asked next year. I mean, I'd love to play, but… well, I don't know what I'll be doing by that time next year and all of that and I do have to ask my mom."

"Yes, of course," Cari-Ann said with a laugh.

"Have you had a lot of private instruction in flying, too?" Andrew asked.

"I've had… some private instruction, I guess you could say. I've had flying teachers and things like that, but it hasn't been massive amounts of it or anything, is what I mean. I've just had the chance to spend a lot of time flying, and I've had a lot of skilled flyers around to help me improve. But it's not really all that much different from any other kid who happens to have some really good Quidditch players or Quodpot players or something in the family. Most of it's been pretty casual."

"So it's definitely Quidditch for you?" Andrew asked with a grin. "Not that big of a fan of Quodpot?"

Harry hesitated, then shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, don't get me wrong, Quodpot is a pretty exciting game. It's totally a blast to watch at the pro level. And I definitely respect Quodpot players, because I'll tell you, that game is a heck of a lot harder than it looks. It really is. But playing it myself, or rather playing a game myself, I like Quidditch. I can't fly the way I like to fly in Quodpot. I like playing Chaser, but that's all there is in Quodpot, and I really love playing Seeker. It's all twists and turns and rolls and dives and trying to find the Snitch and staying a step ahead of the Beaters with the Bludgers flying everywhere and every little flash of something could be the Snitch and…" Harry took a breath. "It's completely awesome!"

The three reporters laughed. Suntree smiled fondly.

"So I take it that you'll be trying out for Quidditch at Hathorne Institute?" Cari-Ann asked.

"I think that goes without saying," Harry said with a grin. "I'm really looking forward to…" Harry trailed off, stifling a yawn behind his hand. "Sorry. It's been a long day. What was I saying? Oh, yeah, I'm really looking forward to playing on a team against another team."

"I think we can fit in a couple of more questions," Suntree decided. "And then we should be going."

"Are you expecting anyone from Britain to be at your party?" Solomon asked keenly. "Friends of the family, or perhaps someone from their Ministry?"

"Um… no?" Harry frowned slightly. "I don't even know anyone over there. I've lived here nearly all of my life, you know. I'm sure everyone's seen the press release by now, where it says that we moved here for safety and security reasons, given the, uh, state of the magical world when we left. We didn't really keep in contact with anyone. I mean, I was like two or something, so I didn't have anyone to keep in contact with, but you know what I mean."

"What about someone in the Ministry?" Solomon pressed. "Or their school?"

"No…" Harry said slowly. "There's no real point, really. This is my home. I grew up here. I'm sure they're nice and everything over there, but… it really has nothing to do with my life, you know? And so I just don't see the point of anyone from over there coming over here."

"Any plans for your future?" Andrew asked. "I know that Hathorne Institute has various career tracks that require certain classes. Are you following one of those toward a goal?"

Harry considered that. "Yes and no… I'm taking the Auror career track, but if you know anything about the Hathorne career tracks then you know that the Auror one is one of the most encompassing. Sure, I could just take all the classes I want to take without having to be on a track, but the track helps you keep it straight, and with a school that offers dozens of classes…" Harry stifled another yawn, slouching in his chair a little as he rubbed one of his eyes. "Sorry."

"One more question," Suntree decided. "Cari-Ann?"

She smiled warmly. "You look tired so I won't keep you long. Anything you'd like to add or say?"

"Um…" Harry fiddled with the upturned corner of the price sticker again as he considered that then turned to murmur to Suntree. They spoke quietly back and forth before Harry turned around again. "Actually, yeah. I've been thinking about this, actually. I know that for a long time that anyone who tried to write Harry Potter didn't have any luck with it because of the security and all of that and things just got sent back or lost or whatever. Well, that's changed recently and people can actually send letters now, which more than one person has figured out, but as a heads up sort of thing, they aren't actually coming to me directly for, you know, safety reasons.

"I just want everyone to know that I do get the letters, they're just delayed, and I even keep the letters and all of that, but… I'm turning twelve, right? And I've got school – I've got Hathorne, so that's like school times two- and I've got homework and chores – not even Harry Potter can get out of chores – and I have friends I want to spend time with and family and I do things like read books and go flying and windboarding and all of that, so… I don't want anyone to think that I don't care or something, but a lot of these letters are just asking the same questions over and over, and while I'd love to get out of chores to answer the letters – Mom totally voted that idea down for some reason – I just can't, so I've answered a lot of those usual questions and a lot of people are going to get a copy of that. It's not that I don't care and don't appreciate that someone wrote me a letter, but I can't answer every one of them personally and still do everything I have to do…"

Suntree leaned in to murmur in Harry's ear briefly.

"Oh! Also, I really, really appreciate that everyone cares and everything, but please, please, please don't send me any sort of presents or anything for my birthday or Christmas or anything. Really, no. Please don't send me anything. I mean, I completely appreciate the gesture and it really is pretty cool, but it'd be even cooler if people would donate something to charity instead or something like that. I mean… no, yeah, just, I'd really appreciate it if people who want to do something for me donate their money or time or whatever to a good cause or their community or something. I just wanted to say that. No presents."

There was silence for a few seconds before Suntree patted Harry's knee. "And that's all the time we have tonight. The weekend promises to be tiring, for the adults if no one else." Suntree nudged Harry to his feet and the three reporters got to theirs to exchange goodbyes with him.

"You two go ahead," Suntree told Green and Al as Al led Harry out of the room. "I'll catch up with you in a couple of minutes."

Green fell in step with Harry as they headed down the hall, Al falling back several steps, humming quietly. "You don't seem all that tired," Green remarked after they'd gone some distance down the hallway, Harry with a little bounce in his step.

"I did okay, right?"

"Yes," Green assured. "And you still don't look all that tired."

Harry rolled his eyes and then fixed him with a very unimpressed look.

Green raised his brows. "What's the look for?"

Harry snorted. "As if faking a yawn is hard."

"Devious." Green grinned. "Though you do seem a little put out."

"A little warning would have been nice before letting a hoard of reporters descend on me!"

"We didn't want to make you nervous."

Harry gave him a flat look. "And unprepared is better?"

"Must be. As far as first public appearances go, this one went very well."

Harry huffed and crossed his arms.

"Frown all you want. You'd best get used to it, Mr. Potter," Al teased.

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"You handled it very well," Suntree remarked, coming up behind them at a brisk pace until he fell in step. "The Portkey platform is just up ahead. And like I said, you handled it very well. You're a natural at public speaking."

"I was terrified," Harry grumbled.

"You didn't show it. Keep it up."

Al sighed heavily. "Damn, kid, learn to Apparate. I hate Portkeys."

"Cuss word!"

Al made a face but pulled a quarter from his pocket and handed it over.

Suntree pulled a length of ribbon from his pocket. "Jamie will start the basics of Apparition at the beginning of the year."

Harry perked up. "Seriously?"

"Yes. Here, through this door." Suntree shuffled them into a room and motioned them to the large green circle on the floor. "And here's our prearranged safe Portkey spot. Now take this." Suntree held out the ribbon and checked his watch as everyone grabbed a section of it. "Remember, we're going directly to the hotel. Bran should already be there."

"Sucks that he couldn't come to the game," Harry sighed.

Al opened his mouth, but his words came out as, "Buwaheeoon," as the Portkey kicked in. Whatever he was about to say didn't stand a chance once they were on the other side of the Portkey trip, standing in the middle of a large hotel room. Bran, Laney and Tony waited for them.

"Kip!"

"Bran!" Harry accepted Bran's tackling hug, laughing as his feet left the ground.

"Kip!"

"Bran!"

"Kip!"

"Bran!"

"Glad we've got the names cleared up," Suntree muttered.

"Just what the frug does 'kip' mean, anyway?" Green muttered to Tony.

"Some sort of werewolf term for brother-friend or something."

"Come on, we're sharing a room tonight! I'll show you!" Bran began to pull Harry from the hotel room to an adjacent one.

"Fine, don't say hello to your mother!" Laney called out.

"Hi, Mom! Can't talk! Bran's here!"

Laney shook her head fondly and looked to Suntree as the sounds of excited babble started up in the next room. "The interview thing went well?"

"Extremely. But one of the reporters asked if there'd be anyone from Britain coming. Jamie shrugged it off."

"Glad to hear it hasn't even crossed his mind that anyone over there would try to come," Laney murmured. "I'm really getting tired of it…"

"That Dumbledore guy's still trying to get himself invited?" Al asked in surprise. "He thinks you're going to just give in or something if he keeps asking?"

Laney shrugged. "Who knows… I sent another letter off this morning, though, telling him that the answer remains the same."

"I wouldn't worry about any more letters from him," Suntree commented. "If he wants to send something else to you, he'll have to do it the usual way; it takes around a week to two weeks to send a letter over here by any magical means, depending on what method he uses. The USAS has told our magical contact at the American Embassy in London not to air mail any more correspondence unless it's an emergency or until further notice."

Laney frowned. "What's to keep him from showing up over here?"

Suntree smiled and shifted his weight, looking for a moment like he'd really welcome just that before his sharp edge faded into mild confidence. "He was officially informed that you have a restraining order against him and should he, someone known to be in his employ, under his direction, or associated with him be seen within so many feet of one Harry Potter, Harry Potter's every present bodyguards will give one warning to comply with the rules as set out by the restraining order."

"And if he doesn't?" Laney asked with amusement.

"It will be seen as a hostile action and the nearest law enforcement officer, namely one of Harry Potter's bodyguards, will take him into custody by any means necessary for questioning," Tony said with a wolfish smile.

"It appears that Dumbledore doesn't wish to be arrested for harassing Harry Potter," Suntree observed mildly.

Laney couldn't help but grin. "I entirely approve."

* * *

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* * *

"Hi!" Harry hugged the new arrival, trying desperately to remember the woman's name. "I haven't seen you since the beginning of the summer. How have you been?"

She gave a yip of a laugh. "Great! And you're surely having a great day." She grinned at him, sniffing the air all the while.

"It's awesome, yeah. For what it's been so far; it's not even noon, yet. You can find some of the pack by the buffet."

"We do like free food." She ruffled his hair and nuzzled his cheek, then backed away to stride over to the food tables.

"Werewolf, if I'm not mistaken," a low voice observed from behind Harry.

Harry twisted around. "Hollen," he said with surprise. "Whoa, your hair."

Hollen smiled brightly and waved a hand. "Like?"

Harry studied the bubblegum pink, green-streaked hair falling wildly around Hollen's face. "It's very… colorful."

Hollen half pouted. "You don't like?"

"It's… It looks surprisingly good on you."

"Of course it does. It goes with the shirt." He gestured dramatically towards his shirt; it was green with pink flowers on the front.

Harry's eyes traveled down to the black jeans and black boots. There were more flowers crawling up the sides of the pants. "You look very garden-y."

"I shall take that to mean fabulous, of course." Hollen grinned and blew a kiss to someone nearby. The man gave a start and looked around before looking back at Hollen with a wary, uncertain expression.

"I didn't think you'd come, Hollen," Harry remarked, drawing Hollen's attention back to him.

Hollen half pouted. "Hollen? I thought I was Holly."

"Well-"

"Listen, I want to talk to you," Hollen said with sudden seriousness. "Let's go over here." Hollen dropped a hand lightly to Harry's shoulder to give him a nudge, and when Harry didn't pull away from the touch, he smiled brightly, giving Harry's shoulder a friendly squeeze before giving another nudge. Harry threaded through the crowd to an out of the way spot away from the other guests, Hollen following.

"So?" Harry asked once they'd stopped, looking at Hollen but keeping half of his attention on the room full of guests.

"Listen, about the last time we saw each other…"

"You were having a bad day," Harry said with a shrug, focusing more on Hollen.

"I was," Hollen agreed after a moment. He let out a slow breath and crouched down, resting his elbows on his knees. "Listen. That was… unacceptable behavior on my part. Really. Being a bit of a bitch is one thing, but that… was uncalled for. I… apologize."

Harry looked at him with a bit of surprise before smiling slowly. "Accepted, of course."

Hollen bit his lip and then shifted a shoulder forward a little. "Hug?"

"Of course." Harry leaned down a little to hug him tightly. Hollen's return hug was almost as tight and only grew tighter when Hollen stood suddenly, lifting Harry off of his feet for a few seconds. There was a strange shift and twitch of Hollen's magic and then a slow ripple that moved through Hollen's entire magical aura, needling at Harry, and then Harry's toes touched the ground without Hollen moving; Harry guessed that Hollen had made himself a little shorter.

"Are you feeling better?" Harry asked as the hug continued. "What was wrong that day?"

"Oh, I was just… being me," Hollen murmured into his hair. "It happens occasionally. Bad night out. That sort of thing. But I'm doing much better now. And I have a present for you!"

Harry snorted. "You didn't have to. In fact, I purposely included on all invitations that I would prefer donations to charity or something, not gifts."

"Perish the thought." Hollen pulled away to tut at him. "Not jump on the excuse to go shopping? What silliness!" He reached into his back pocket and withdrew a long, creamy envelope that couldn't have easily fit there. "Here! Open it! Go on!"

Harry laughed and accepted the envelope, murmuring a letter opening charm. The envelope slit neatly at the top and Harry pulled out a slip of paper. "What's this…? A day at the spa?"

Hollen nodded brightly. "It's great. You'll love it. It's fabulous."

"I don't know," Harry said with a laugh.

Hollen tutted again and grabbed Harry's hand to study his nails. "You get manicures, princess. Pedicures are amazing. They massage your feet and legs and it's just honestly fabulously amazing. And facial treatments leave you so refreshed, you can't even begin to imagine. The full body massage is one of my favorites. And oh, the potion soak, oh so glorious. It's a magical place, obviously, and oh so discreet. You'll love it; trust me." He pointed at the certificate. "And look? It covers two people! You can take your mom. Or Sunshine."

Harry burst out laughing.

"Or your mom," Hollen said with a grin. "Hug. I demand it for the fabulousness that is my gift."

Harry hugged him again. "You're crazy," Harry said fondly. "Thank you, Holly. Maybe I'll use it this up coming week to look good when I start Hathorne."

"Ooh, that's right. Hathorne here you come. Now you absolutely must use it. And you must let me know how it goes."

"All right."

"Now, back to your party!" Hollen pulled away and ruffled Harry's hair this way and that. "Your hair's so hopeless, princess."

"I'm aware," Harry said dryly, pushing his hands away. "Oh! Come with. I want you to meet someone."

"Ooh, meeting people." Hollen arched a brow. "Is it a guy? Is he good looking? Is it one of your PDs?"

"Yes, yes and yes."

"Lead on!"

Harry rolled his eyes but snagged Hollen's wrist and pulled him along. "He should be around here somewhere…"

"I daresay the majority of the USAS is here today," Hollen remarked, shifting Harry's grip so Harry was holding his hand. "I'm certainly seeing a lot of familiar faces."

"And confusing most of them."

"Hardly my fault, princess." Hollen waved brightly to another random person, then winked suggestively. The man went bright red.

"You're terrible," Harry sighed.

"Fabulous, child, just fabulous. Watch and learn."

"You're something else… Oh, there he is." Harry changed course.

Hollen gave Green a slow up and down as they approached. "Not bad…" he murmured. "Bit scruffy. And he's got a stain on his shirt. But not bad. He'd clean up quite nicely with a bit of effort."

Harry snorted. "This is cleaned up."

"He could clean up better. Much better."

"Hey, Green, I want you to meet Holly. Hollen, I mean. I've wanted you two to meet for a good while." Harry stopped and eased his hand out of Hollen's. "I think you'll get along great. So… oh! Hollen, this is Green. Green, this is Hollen."

"He calls you by your last name?" Hollen asked Green with amusement, holding out a hand.

"Nah. It's just a nickname."

Hollen jerked his hand back before Green could touch it, holding both hands close to his body in a warding off motion, leaning away from them. "Holy shit, you're southern." His mouth twisted in disgust as his expression hardened. "Fuck, I actually thought you were almost attractive for a second, and even worse, I almost touched you. I have never been so fucking grateful in my life to hear an ignorant ass southern accent and I still want to claw my ears off. _Wonderful_."

Harry gaped.

Green's brows went up high. "Excuse me?"

"I don't think so." Hollen shook his head, taking a half step back. "There really is just no excuse for you. There's never an excuse."

Harry scowled. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Yeah, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Green echoed.

"It's like I can feel myself getting stupider just from the sound of your voice. Just stop polluting the air; it's bad enough you're allowed to breathe." Hollen shook his head again, making a low noise of disgust as his hair darkened but didn't quite change color.

Harry planted his hands on his hips, eyes narrowing. "Davish? The fuck?"

Hollen stared at him, looking like he couldn't comprehend Harry's reaction in any way. "Southern," he said slowly. "_Southern_. From the South."

"Not. An. Answer."

"Southern." Hollen's eyes darted back to Green, black and hard. "Ignorant, uneducated, unwashed, back-ass, backwoods, hick country, redneck-"

"What the hell is this?" Harry demanded. "I mean, this- you- what the hell? I just started to like you again-"

"Yeah, well, don't worry, I'm willing to forgive you," Hollen cut in, crossing his arms, his mouth a hard line.

Harry gaped, then glared. "You're _what_?"

"I'm willing to forgive you," Hollen repeated. "It's your birthday and you're young and sheltered-"

"Sheltered from what?" Green snapped.

"From the depravities of the South," Hollen snapped back. "Soul sucking values and-"

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," Green growled, hands flexing slowly before he shoved them into his pockets. "You're seriously fucked up. You're completely out of your mind, you crazy ass-"

"Don't you fucking call me crazy."

"You _are_ crazy."

Hollen sucked in a breath, hand twitching near his wand. Harry shifted, a shuffle of a step closer, expression thunderous, drawing Hollen's attention. After a moment Hollen's hand shifted away from his wand. "Some of your friends, princess, are in terrible taste," he muttered.

"Yes, they really are," Harry told him coldly.

Hollen's hard expression flickered and he crossed his arms tightly. "Just because you've made friends with a hillbilly, racist-"

"You're just as ignorant as you claim I am."

"-inbred-"

"I am two seconds away from cursing parts of you they can't grow back," Harry warned quietly.

"Leave it, Jamie," Green told him, staring at Hollen with icy calm. "He obviously has something against the South-"

"Holy shit, the hillbilly has a brain." Hollen rocked back another half step. "Logic and observation skills. It's a genius! Your parents must not be too closely related."

Green bristled. "Of all of the ignorant, dumb fucking things-"

"Second cousins? Maybe even-"

"How Jamie can even stand to be around you-"

"But seeing as how its Jamie's birthday, I shall endeavor to pretend you don't exist and perhaps-"

"You're going to wish I didn't exist if you keep-"

Harry threw his hands up in disgust, hitting them both with the strongest silencing charm he could focus on, channeling all of his anger and irritation into strengthening it. "I'm going somewhere else! Good luck finding someone to take those off." He stalked away with a scowl.

* * *

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* * *

"Davish was looking for you earlier," Suntree remarked.

Harry made a rather impolite noise.

"Yes, I got the feeling you'd say something like that. I spoke with Green."

"What the hell was going on with that?" Harry demanded. "What the hell is wrong with Hollen?"

"For once I actually don't know something." Suntree smiled wanly. "And I wish I did so I could have an answer for you."

"Well, I'm just pissed off with him. That was completely uncalled for. He's got more apologizing to do, that's all I've got to say."

Suntree looked at Harry with amusement. "More apologizing? I don't think Davish has seriously apologized to anyone in maybe seven years, and even then it was probably insincere or sarcastic."

Harry's scowl faded slightly as he considered. "He apologized earlier today. For the way he acted the last time I saw him."

"Did he now?"

"He did."

"Well-"

"There's the birthday boy!"

Harry took a slow breath, counted to five as he strengthened his Occlumency shield, then turned with a somewhat bright smile, hoping he didn't still look as irritated as he felt. "Hey, Kevin. I'm glad you could make it."

"As if I'd miss this for the world." The burly man grinned at Harry and pulled him into a hug that lifted him clear off of his feet. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks!" Harry fought off a little blush as he was set back down. "And thanks for coming," he tried not to mumble.

"Of course. Well, you looked like you two were talking about something. I just wanted to come say hello while I had the chance. You never know when the air squads might get called out, after all."

"Yeah, of course. Really, thanks for coming, though."

"Yeah. Oh, hey, your present's on the table." He grinned. "You've certainly got quite a pile."

"And I have no idea how I'm going to open them all!" Harry rolled his eyes. "I did put 'no presents!' on the invitation, didn't I? What happened to charity!?"

"Like that stops anyone." He ruffled Harry's hair. "See you around, JP."

"See ya."

"You sure you don't have a crush on him?" Green murmured in his ear as Kevin walked away. "You're blushing."

Harry gave a start and blushed even more, glancing back at Green. "Green! No!"

"Hm. Wouldn't blame you, of course. You want to know my type? It's walking away from us right now."

"What? Kevin?"

"Mmmhm. Not necessarily him, though he's definitely easy on the eyes. Bit young for me-"

"He's probably thirty or something," Harry muttered.

"So is that old?" Green snorted.

"I just meant that he's not that much younger- you know what, shut up."

Green chuckled. "But that's the type."

"Right." Harry considered Kevin as the man walked away from them, his stride long and confident. He felt himself blushing even more as he realized it was a very nice view from the back.

"You know, someone with a little muscle and strength," Green said with a chuckle. "Maaaybe lean and wiry-"

"Which is like Tony," Harry couldn't help but point out.

"But completely not Tony," Green said with another chuckle. "And definitely not one of those slim and slight kind of guys. If I want someone like that, I'll date a woman."

"Slim and slight? What? Like me?"

"Don't even nudge my brain in that direction, child," Green snorted. "It'll break it and you'll have to replace it."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"But no, someone like…" Green made an odd noise then nodded to where Hollen was talking with Tony and Laney. Laney looked utterly charmed as Hollen made wide, dramatic gestures and grinned charismatically. "Like the south hating freak-"

"Green…"

"What?"

"I don't know. Just, don't."

"I'm sorry he's raining all over your parade, kiddo, but that's seriously not my fault. The man's a prejudiced asshole."

Harry sighed. "I don't know what his problem is…"

"He's crazy as hell?"

"No. Well, okay, he is. Kind of. But that was just…"

"Word of advice for you, kiddo: avoid the crazy."

"Green, most people think I'm a little crazy."

Green chuckled a little. "You're eccentric. The asshole is certifiable."

"Can you just… lay off him? I know it's not you, but I don't want to have to think about him being a complete jackass right now."

"Sure, kid. Anything for you."

"Thanks."

* * *

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* * *

Harry gave a start as hands covered his eyes. "Guess who."

"Terry!" Harry twisted around to pull Terry into a hug, grinning madly. "I thought you couldn't make it!"

Terry made a scoffing noise. "I took this weekend off ages ago. Though, sorry I couldn't be here yesterday, but Friday was the iffy day for me."

"But you told me-"

"Well, you never know in my line of work. Better to be safe than sorry. Plus, it means I get to surprise you!"

Harry snorted.

Terry stepped back. "Wow, look at you, kid. You're going to be as tall as me in a few years!"

Harry grinned. "That's what you get for only seeing me every few months."

"Busy times, busy times," Terry said, dropping an arm over Harry's shoulder and moving them to an empty seating area. "Now that Johnathan's older, he's doing more. That boy's shaping up to be quite active in politics."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. He's involved in all sorts of things through Hathorne. But that means we, his bodyguards that is, we're busy. There's security before whatever he's doing, security during it, security at the end, all of it, on and on."

"Wow…" Harry pulled a knee up to his chest, folding his arms over his knee with a thoughtful look. "Does that mean… I really don't want to be that much of a bother for everyone around me…"

"Nah. You don't do the kind of stuff that he does, at least not now. I imagine one day you'll get involved in things, but you'll probably be older. And there's also the fact that- well, you've noticed that the President hasn't been very popular lately with some of the powerful and influential people, I'm sure."

Harry shrugged sheepishly. "We talk about it and stuff, Mr. John and Suntree and all of that, but some of that stuff…"

"You aren't paying that much attention, huh?" Terry asked with a chuckle.

Harry shrugged again.

"Well, the President has been making some choices that aren't so popular with the old and traditional sections of society, so there's a bit more concern for his and his family's safety."

"Sounds fun."

"Boring as hell, to be honest," Terry grinned.

Harry laughed.

"Where's everyone, anyway?" Terry looked around. "I see… well, there's Laney over there, talking to- wow, look at that woman's hair…"

Harry craned his head around then snickered, catching sight of Laney talking to a woman with a head of hair in the shape of a chandelier. "Felicia Ann-Marie Alexia Suther-Tam."

"Who's that?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted, sniggering. "I was introduced to her, but I was too busy trying not to stare at her hair and boggle at her name. I think she has something to do with Quidditch, maybe… or maybe something to do with Hathorne… I don't know; the names blur together."

"Completely off the mark." John came around the couch and settled next to Harry, stretching his legs out in front of him with a groan. "She's the head of the MTRD."

Harry frowned. "The…?"

"Magical Travel Regulation Department," John finished.

"Oh. Right."

"What's she doing here?" Terry asked.

John began to absently rub his knee. "Well, you will be learning Apparation sometime this spring."

"Hey, really?" Terry asked with a grin. "That's totally cool. Lucky kid."

"Yeah, I am," Harry agreed. "And that is totally cool. I don't know why I wouldn't have picked up on that when she was introduced."

"She was probably part of a group and you just zoned out or something," John said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, probably." Harry pushed John's hand away from his knee and covered it himself, letting down his shields. "Agitated," he said after a moment. "You've been on your feet too long. And not using your cane."

"I feel good, child," John said with a chuckle.

"And you've used quite a few Portkeys in the last few days," Harry added with a frown.

Terry leaned forward, watching in fascination.

"Stop prodding me. It's your birthday, go have fun."

Harry snorted, shifting his fingers over the knee. "But you haven't been taking as many pain potions, so that's good."

"How do you do that?" Terry asked. "How can you tell that stuff?"

"You realize you're not allowed to use your abilities casually, right?" John pointed out. "All of your wriggling excuses that you weren't twelve and the contract you signed hadn't technically gone into effect aren't valid any longer."

Harry gave him a bright smile. "But I'm not using my ability casually. I'm using it as I've been trained to use it."

John rolled his eyes.

"As for how I do it," Harry said, looking over at Terry, "it's not that hard now that my control is better and I've been taking all of those lessons to understand what I'm reading."

"But how?"

"It's all magic. You see-"

"I sense more magic theory," Terry put in with a grin.

"Well, I could always not answer," Harry teased.

"No, do go on."

"Well, it's all magic. No one's quite sure how Apparation and Portkeys work, but they do know that it involves using some form of magic that's not quite the same kind of magic we use for everyday things. This magic is more concentrated, in a sense, and it's… Well, it's kind of like magic that's removed from being influenced by everything we do, so it doesn't have any impressions on it or anything. It's one of those higher layers of magic we only tap into for certain activities. That's actually one of the things people use to support the theory that our magic actually comes from another dimension, a dimension that presses against ours, and where the pressure has cracked between the two, that's where you have ley lines-"

"How's this related to you knowing about Portkeys and pain potions?" Terry interrupted with amusement.

"Oh! Whoops. Right. Well, you do have to realize that the magic of Portkeys and all of that is a little different from regular magic, it has a different feel. And it affects things, you see, lingering a little while after Apparation or Portkeys, which is why people can track that form of magical travel. That's also why you can put up wards to stop Portkeys and Apparation. Same principle with blocking Floo, you just block that magic from an area, or lock it up-"

"It's an absolutely fascinating field of study," John chuckled.

"Yes, it definitely is."

"And it's still not answering my question," Terry pointed out. "I swear, every time I come back, you've turned into an even bigger bookworm."

Harry nudged Terry. "Then maybe you ought to come around more, huh?"

"Looks like I'm going to have to."

"Good."

"Stop looking smug and get to the point."

Harry laughed. "The point is that the magic is different, so it stands out when it lingers on the body, and traces of it get wrapped up in the curse magic and take longer to fade away. Sporadic Portkey trips don't really show up enough for me to notice unless I'm in an actual trance and doing things the proper way, but multiple trips in just a couple of days leaves just enough behind for me to feel."

"You always have to be special," Terry teased.

"Of course I do, I'm the amazing Harry Potter."

John patted Harry's hand. "Now I'm curious about knowing how I haven't been taking as many pain potions. I can't imagine how you figured that out."

Harry looked even smugger. "Because the magical aura is connected to your energy and emotions, and when you've been in pain, it still shows even if you dull the pain with a potion."

"I should have realized that," John remarked, rolling his eyes.

"And you are entirely too smug with yourself," Terry snorted.

"Yeah? What'cha gonna do about it?"

Terry grinned, fingering his wand.

"Catch ya later!" Harry scrambled off of the couch and dashed away.

"That was quite effective," John observed.

"I'm glad the kid hasn't figured out he could hand me my ass if he really wanted to," Terry snorted, leaning back and putting a foot up on the coffee table.

John gave him a sidelong smile. "I think us clueless adults would be shocked if we knew just how much that kid has figured out."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

* * *

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* * *

"Hey."

Harry gave Hollen a cool look. "Hello."

"I was hoping to catch you before the party was over."

"And so you did," Harry observed.

"I guess I've earned a bit of frost from you."

"You think?"

"I'm not going to apologize."

"Good. I wouldn't believe it."

"Actually, I am going to apologize. I'm just not going to apologize for what you think I'm going to apologize."

Harry gave him a chilly look.

"No, listen." Hollen leaned back against the wall next to him. "I didn't mean to upset you, princess. And for that I am sorry. But I'm not sorry that I don't like your friend. He's southern."

"What the hell is wrong with that?"

"Everything? Hello, civil war, slavery, NASCAR."

Harry gave him a flat look.

"What? Evil. There's evil there."

"You're putting NASCAR in the same category as the civil war and slavery?"

"Evil is evil. Don't try to rate it."

Harry shook his head.

"Pickled pigs feet. Belt buckles the size of your fucking head. Because, yeah, that's exactly what I want, to have my eyes drawn to some southerner's crotch. And of course they're wearing tight jeans in extremely poor taste, and those cowboy hats. And there's that ignorant ass southern accent. Chicken fried steak. What the hell? Deep fried everything. Like funnel cake. Well… funnel cake isn't that bad. Powdered sugar cancels out the fried dough southern-ness-"

"You're fucking insane," Harry interrupted with a shake of his head.

"Yes, that's what they say," Hollen murmured, looking away.

"Seriously, what the hell's wrong with you? Did your mother drop you on your head or something?" Hollen stiffened. Harry felt something like an electric tingle across his magical aura, a large swell of violent magic quickly contained. It took Harry's breath away. "Holl-"

"She very likely did," Hollen cut in shortly. "Considering the woman made it very clear from the moment I could understand the words that I'd be doing the world a favor if I died."

Harry looked closely at Hollen in shock, reaching out to touch Hollen's arm. Even with his shields at full strength, Harry could feel Hollen's magic. It was muddled, sharp-edged, unstable and uncomfortable, prickly and cracked, and the violent burst of magic hadn't been contained, it'd been turned inward. Harry was even more shocked, shocked enough to lower the shields for a real glance; Hollen's magical aura was in absolute chaos. "Holl…" Harry breathed.

"Yes?" Hollen asked. His voice was completely indifferent, but Harry could feel the magical aura shift and surge with something almost like hope, and the faintest hint of the chaotic magic calming just the slightest where Harry was touching him. It undid Harry's anger almost completely.

"Holl…"

Hollen glanced at him, dark eyes completely unreadable.

"Green is a very good person," Harry sighed. "He's my family and my friend."

Hollen's magical aura twisted and swirled, stress lines forming even through the chaos. He made a vague grunting of a noise.

"I don't know what your problem is, but seriously, it's no excuse to be a dick."

Hollen made another vague noise.

Harry sighed, pulling his hand back to rub his forehead. "At least try to avoid him? Please?"

"Can't make any promises," Hollen said roughly.

"No, of course not." Harry shook his head. "Whatever. I have to go cut the cake or something. Dinner's long over."

"I'll try."

"Yeah." Harry reached out to pick a thread off of Hollen's shirt. "You are the most inexplicable, cagey bastard…"

Hollen snorted.

"Try to behave, at least. And don't think I'm not mad at you, even if I forgive you, and Merlin only knows why I'm forgiving your retarded self."

Hollen's mouth lifted in something like wry amusement. Even more, his magic began to calm slowly. Harry gave his arm a pat, shaking his head as he walked away.

* * *

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* * *

"So?"

"Don't even say it," Harry warned, giving Suntree what he hoped was a quelling look despite having frosting stuck to his eyebrows and lingering in patches on his face.

Suntree's mouth twitched up and then he snorted, taking the damp paper towels from Harry's hand and tipping Harry's head up to make use of them. "I think your mother has decided to be more amused than upset."

"Damn."

"Hoping she'd Spoon Al?"

"He shoved cake in my face!"

"That he did."

Harry grumbled, looking down at his shirt. "At least he didn't get it on my clothes."

"Oh, he was quite careful of that." Suntree threw the papers towels away and studied Harry's face. "Not so bad."

Harry made a face.

"So." Suntree leaned against the counter, watching as Harry pulled his hair free of the tail at the nape of his neck and finger combed through it. "Davish."

Harry sighed. "Don't start."

"I didn't say anything."

"You're thinking it."

"What am I thinking?"

"You're thinking 'I told you so'."

"I'm thinking 'I'm sorry', actually."

Harry looked over. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I had some idea of his dislike for all things southern. I hadn't realized just how deep-seated his feelings were, though."

"What's up with that, anyway? It's totally obvious that there's more to this than him being himself, but seriously, what's up with that?"

Suntree smiled wanly. "He's a man with many issues."

"You think?" Harry pulled his hair back into the low ponytail.

"He was actually behaving, you know," Suntree said. "I figured he'd behave for you. I just hadn't realized that his feelings went that deeply."

Harry sighed. "What's up with that, Sun?"

Suntree rubbed his chin. "I can't tell you, Jamie. As much as I dislike the man, his history, his problems, that's his business."

Harry sighed again.

"I suppose you'll have to ask him about it."

Harry fiddled with his shirt. "Right."

"Come on." Suntree nodded to the door. "You can't hide in here all day. Just think, it's day two; you only have one more day of this, and after tomorrow's over, you're all done."

"Yeah, yeah." Harry sent him a sidelong look. "So who saw Al shove cake in my face?"

"Just those next to us, which were mainly PDs, a couple of Aurors who'll likely tease you about it for a few weeks and a couple of healers who'll likely tease you longer. You did get most of it with magic, of course, after he did it. It was just stuck in a few places, and another cleaning charm would have done the trick."

"Sometimes water's the only thing to make you feel completely clean."

"Very true."

Harry straightened his shirt. "Coming?"

"In a minute."

Harry nodded and left the bathroom. The bathroom was down a short hallway off of the main room of the party, but there was no one lingering in the hallway or just outside of it and Harry snuck back into the party with barely any notice. He scanned the room and was amused to see that Al had made himself scarce.

* * *

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* * *

"You look tired."

Harry cracked open an eye. Tony was looking down at him with amusement. Harry grunted. "Three days…" he yawned, "and today was just… this massive meet and greet. I'm done with being famous. Make it go away."

Tony laughed and crouched down next to the chair Harry had Transfigured to half recline. "Hasn't been all bad today, has it?"

"No. The bands were great, if a tad bit…"

"Strange given the company?" Tony asked with a grin. "Al wanted to do the music-"

"And you let him?" Harry interrupted, tapping the arm of the chair to make the chair slowly straighten.

"No. Did you hear nothing but screaming hard rock all day?"

"There was rock," Harry pointed out. "But no, I didn't."

"Quite right; there was pop and jazz and country and a little bit of everything. You have Green to thank for that. It was his opinion that we should keep the music lively and young, none of that soft, slow classical stuff or the easy listening, even if you are meeting politicians and various other important people. Green's of the opinion that playing music you like would help remind everyone that Harry Potter might be Harry Potter, but Harry Potter's also a twelve-year-old kid."

"Did it work?"

Tony shrugged. "Hard to say. But you weren't drawn into a lot of long, boring conversations, were you? You weren't asked about the current Quodpot potion scandal ad nauseum or asked to support some political candidate in some upcoming election or anything like that, right?"

"No, I can't say that I was…" Harry remarked thoughtfully.

"Then it likely worked. From what I've heard, that's a pretty common thing at these sorts of parties." Tony grinned. "It probably didn't hurt that Green's been keeping a close eye on you and made sure the bands played certain songs when you talked to certain groups. And no, I don't know what his method was for choosing songs and groups, but it seems to have worked."

"Green is thoroughly awesome." Harry pulled his legs up to his chest, draping his arms over his knees, hands clasping together as he studied Tony.

"What's up, kid?"

"Just thinking… I assume you tracking me down means I better go reappear at my party?"

"The tracking wasn't hard." Tony reached out to give the rainbow friendship bracelet on Harry's wrist a little tug. "We can track you anywhere within a two hundred mile radius when you're wearing that, after all."

Harry snorted. "Cheater."

"But yes, it's time for you to reappear."

"Great."

"And I have a question for you."

"No, I don't know what happened to all of the kiwis. It wasn't me. And yes, I'm still gruntled at Suntree for the sushi bar. Making me like raw fish is evil. And sheesh, that had to have been expensive."

"You're gruntled?"

"I am. It's like disgruntled, without the dis."

"Imagine that," Tony said dryly. "But that wasn't my question. My question was: why the present from Holl? Didn't he give you something yesterday?"

"Yes. And I have no idea. I haven't the faintest clue what I'm supposed to do with a hundred slap bracelets. He looked so very pleased with himself, though, and even a little bit relieved that I took them, that I hadn't the heart to give him the 'what the heck?' look."

"You're doing so much better with your language," Tony teased.

"Yeah, well, a jar full of quarters is a jar full of quarters. Al must be going bankrupt at this point."

Tony snickered. "I see Suntree refuses to respect the 'when we're not at the house, it doesn't count' idea."

Harry snickered. "Unless I'm talking about Holl, and then he pretends not to hear it." He rolled his eyes. "Unless I'm talking to Holl, and then Suntree gives me a warning look and makes me pay later." Harry plucked at the frayed bottom hem of his jeans. "Suntree and Holl are getting along a bit better. Quite a lot less snarl and more tolerance. But this thing with Green…"

"Green and Hollen?"

"No, between Green and Suntree." Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course between Green and Holl."

"I notice you keep calling him Holl, not Holly."

"That's because I'm still pissed at him." Harry looked up. "What's that all about?"

Tony summoned over one of the hard backed chairs lined up against the wall and turned it around to straddle the seat, facing Harry. "Here it is, your birthday party, and the stupid adults are dragging in their shit, huh?"

"Yeah, well, that's life." Harry leaned back against the chair, resting his hands on his thighs. "What the hell is wrong with him? I know he's an asshole, but sometimes he does something that's just…"

"Hollen is… a very complex person."

"No shit, Sherlock. I noticed that. Man, his aura is just…" Harry trailed off at Tony's sharp, raised brow look. "Oh, don't start with me. Would you stop looking at people's magical auras if you had the ability just because it's ethically shaky?"

"It's intrusive. It's not like eavesdropping or spying on someone. Your magical aura reading is looking at what a person is, all of their trauma and issues and all of that, it's not just seeing what a person is all about now or what they're going to do or something simple."

"Dude, I seriously have to study a magical aura to even begin to figure out what it has to say about last week, let alone someone's entire history. I do look at what's going on right then. But in some cases, an aura just begs to be read or even demands to be read, like Holl's. And even though I don't ever worry about my safety with him, being able to keep an eye on his aura has sure as hell kept my ass out of the fire with him more than once. He's the touchiest, moodiest, hardest person I've ever met."

"So you tell me what's wrong with him."

"You're totally changing the subject." Harry pulled his legs in, settling cross-legged. "If you had the ability to glance at someone's magical aura, would you?"

"Ethically-"

"Tony."

Tony was quiet a moment, then he shrugged. "Don't get caught."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. So, dish. What's up with Holl?"

"What can you tell from your study of his magical aura?"

"The man's fucked up. And that's the only way I can put it. Every time I see him there's just… chaos. Sometimes it's fairly well controlled chaos, sometimes it's like he's unraveling and sheer will is keeping him in one piece, but there's always chaos. And there's trauma, emotional and physical and just trauma, signs of trauma threaded everywhere."

Tony made a vague noise.

"Yeah…" Harry sighed heavily. "The problem is that he's freaking Death-Wish Davish. There's no way I could figure out if all of that trauma is related to him doing stupid shit, like throwing himself off of a broom at a thousand feet to tackle someone else on another broom, or whatever else stupid crap he's done, or if it goes into his past further or his personal life or… I mean, I could tell if I went into a trance, but I can't tell just by looking."

Tony made another vague noise, shrugging a little.

"What's up with his hate for Green and everything southern?"

"He's gotten better over the years."

Harry stared at Tony. "You must be joking."

"No. He really has gotten better. There once was a time when he'd break some bones if someone with a southern accent called him crazy."

"What the hell is wrong with him?"

"Life. I knew him when we were younger, you know. We both worked as EOAs. You might have even called us friends, but I don't think either of us really had the ability or the background to understand friendship at that point. But he came into the Aurors a guarded, angry young man and not much has changed. He just has more to be angry about now. And yet, despite how hard he tries, he's a better man than he wants to be."

Harry sighed. "What the hell am I going to do with a hundred slap bracelets, Tony?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something, 'cat. You're creative like that."

"Yeah, thanks. For nothing."

Tony chuckled. "Glad to be of service. Are you ready to head back out there?"

"I'd much rather finish my nap."

"Sleep is for the weak."

Harry glared as he slid out of the chair.

"As you always tell me when I'm napping," Tony pointed out, getting up himself and sending the chair back to its spot against the wall, "and you decide we absolutely must do something right at that very second and it can't possibly even wait at all, ever, and-"

"I get the point."

Tony gave him a little nudge toward the door. "Just let things be as they will for now with Hollen," he advised. "Sometimes that's the only way things can go."

Harry frowned slightly.

"Let it go, kid. You're twelve; you can't solve all the problems in the universe, no matter how much you want to."

"I know."

"Good." Tony turned Harry to face him when they reached the closed door, giving Harry an up and down look.

"Do I look presentable?"

"Do you care?" Tony asked with amusement, eyeing Harry's jeans, frayed at the bottom, sneakers with winking smiley face laces, coupled with the fairly nice button down shirt.

"Yes, I care. Green chose music to remind people that I'm just twelve; I chose my clothes. As far as I'm concerned, it's my damn party and if I want to be comfortable, I'll be comfortable."

Tony chuckled. "Good for you. Yes, you look presentable. Just wipe the sour look off of your face."

Harry smiled brightly.

"That'll do." Tony waved the door open.

Harry made his way through the door, out of the quiet side room and into the large, well peopled space. He reached back to snag Tony's hand as he scanned the room, looking for familiar faces. "Where's Suntree?" he muttered.

"Buffet, three o'clock."

"Let's go there. He's the only one who knows who all these people are."

"I know some of them."

"Oh yeah?" Harry glanced back at Tony, almost running them into someone. "Who's that? The lady with the fruit on her hat?"

"Malinda Cartwile. She's head of the government's Charms Department."

"Okay. Fine. Who's that guy over there? He looks like a walrus."

"That would be Anthony Sinclear. He's head of the GRO – Goblin Relations Office."

"Well, what about that guy over there? Know him?"

"Henry Cooke. Cooke with an 'e'. He's very particular about that. He's the biggest financial sponsor of the J-Pro team."

"Oh. I should probably meet him."

"Let him approach you," Tony advised. "Here, this way."

"Okay, fine, so who's that over there? The woman with the truly hideous dress."

Tony studied her for a moment. "What's wrong with that dress?"

"Polka dots, Tony. Polka dots. It's covered in different sized polka dots."

"So?"

"And she's wearing a hat with flowers on it. Red polka dots and a flower hat. And her purse is blue and beaded."

"So?"

"Trust me. It's bad."

Tony snorted. "Sometimes the amount of gay that comes out of your mouth…"

"Don't make me curse you in places curses weren't meant to go."

Tony grinned. "Anyway, that's Alyssa Lykes. She's pretty high up in the UPD."

"What the heck is the Unexplained Phenomena Department doing here?"

"The same as everyone else, I'm sure."

"Well, how did- ohcrap! Quick! The Director of the USAS is talking with Mom!" Harry set off at a brisk pace.

"And this is a cause for concern?" Tony muttered, freeing his hand to better keep up.

"Yes!"

"Ookay…"

"Mom!"

Laney looked over with a smile. "Hey, Jamie. You secreted yourself away to take a nap, I hear."

"Er, yeah." He wriggled in against her side. "So, whatcha talkin' about?" he asked brightly.

"I'm going to go get something to eat," Tony informed them, rolling his eyes.

"Bye! Come back soon!"

"My, that nap seems to have done you good," Laney said dryly.

"Yes! And hello again, sir!"

"Hello, Jamie," the Director greeted with a little knowing smile. "Your mother and I were just talking about your starting Hathorne in a week. It'll be hard going; but as I was telling her, you're quite gifted. I think you'll do just fine."

"Yes, sir."

"If you really feel the need to address me so formally," he said with amusement, "you could just call me Director Kinaire. Or I'd be perfectly fine with Mr. Thomas."

"Yes, sir- er, Director Kinaire."

He laughed. "We were just discussing your school schedule. I understand it that you had to take quite a few placement tests this summer because your tutoring has been so haphazard and wide ranging that they couldn't place you in the right Levels on records alone."

"That's right," Harry said with a nod. "I had to take placement tests for every subject." He sighed. "And to think, I was actually anxious to get summer over with so I could go back to school. Now I feel like I need another month of summer."

The man laughed again. "Be careful what you wish for."

"Don't I know it," Harry muttered.

"How did the placement go?"

"Well, they, uh, decided to excuse me from attending regular Defense classes. I have to make an appearance in certain classes, the ones that Sunny and the others decide I need to go to. But so far, they've gone over the lesson outlines and there're only fifteen or twenty lessons I need to attend so far in all seven Levels."

"I'm hardly surprised. The USAS has done very well by you."

Harry blushed a little. "Yes, sir. I mean, yes, Director Kinaire."

"What about your other classes?"

"Well, they have me doing this overlap thing. I've got some classes that are at the same time. They're in subjects that I've kind of covered with my PDs, I mean, my tutors. And-"

"I know about the PD thing," the Director interrupted. "I think it's very clever."

Harry blushed a little more. "Thank you. But, the classes! Like I was saying, I have Runes, Arithmancy and Ritual Magic all at the same time, and I just sort of pick and choose which ones to go to. It's because I've covered a lot of it with other people, but it's not quite enough to just excuse me entirely."

"You sound like you're going to be busy."

Harry nodded. "But I'm used to that. It'll be fun."

"I think someone's trying to get your attention," Laney said, nudging Harry. "Green's waving in our direction."

Harry looked over and Green made a 'come here' motion. "Oh, um…"

"You can run along," the Director said with amusement. "Go on. I'm sure your mother and I can get along without you."

"Oh. Okay. Um… bye…"

"Have a good party, even if today's the boring day."

"Not as boring as it could be," Harry muttered.

The man laughed and then winked at him. "Go on."

Harry eased away from them a little hesitantly, hoping the wink meant what he thought it meant and that the Director wasn't going to bring up anything to get him in trouble. Green's waving caught his attention again and Harry shifted through the groups of people with little mutterings of "Hi, bye, can't talk."

"There you are," Green said once Harry had reached him. "Come here." He motioned Harry through a side door beside the stage on which the band was performing. Harry glanced up at the group and the drummer winked at him, making Harry blush.

"What am I doing here?" Harry asked once the door had closed behind them, cutting off nearly all of the sound from the next room.

"I want you to meet someone."

"Someone? Back here?"

"Stop asking questions," Green told him, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"There he is," a new voice said.

Harry squeaked and jerked around. "Ohmygod, hi…"

The man sitting on the couch laughed. "Hi."

"Hi!"

"Hi, again."

"Hi!"

Green tried to stifle a snigger. "Jamie, this is Pierce Whilen-"

"I know! Hi!"

The man began to laugh. "Hey there."

"Um… excuse me for a sec, okay, bye!" Harry edged back behind Green and around the corner to lean against the wall. Green peered around the corner a handful of seconds later to find Harry staring wide-eyed at the opposite wall.

"Get lost?"

"You could have warned me," Harry squeaked. "I just made a fool of myself in front of the hottest country singer in the entire universe!"

"I don't think he thinks that."

"I kept saying 'hi'!"

"Yes. We'll just tell him you had to change your batteries," Green teased.

Harry glared. "This isn't funny."

"He probably thinks you're adorable. Because you are."

"I'm not adorable. I'm twelve."

Green laughed. "We could tell him you were overcome by his hotness and your crush short circuited your brain."

"I will kill you," Harry told him. "Don't you dare! I will seriously make your life hell."

"I'm just teasing."

"Ohmygod!" Harry covered his face with his hands. "How am I ever going to look at him again?"

"I don't know, but you're going to have to. He wanted to meet you."

Harry jerked around to look at Green. "He wanted to meet me?"

"Yes."

"Meet me? You didn't, like, say, 'hey, meet Jamie' or 'hey, meet Harry Potter' or anything like that?"

"Nope. I just told him you were a big fan and he said he'd like to meet you."

"_He_ wants to meet _me_."

"Yes."

"Ohmygod. He wants to meet me!"

"Yep."

"Ohmygod, I squeaked at him!" Harry blushed hotly.

"Try some deep breathing and meditation stuff, Jamie," Green said with amusement.

Harry nodded and took several slow, deep breaths, pulling down his Occlumency shields and rebuilding them. As he put up each wall of his desert visualization, he felt the tranquility of the desert wash over him until he was feeling much calmer.

"Better?"

"A little bit…"

"Think you can say hello without spontaneously combusting now?" Green snickered.

Harry glared at him.

"I'll take that as a yes." Green gave him push away from the wall.

They found Pierce waiting where he'd been before, sprawled out on a couch in his worn jeans and tight black T-shirt. Harry had to fight even more of a blush when Pierce looked up from his drink and grinned at them.

"Everything sorted out?"

"Yes." Harry cleared his throat, hoping to get rid of the last of his squeak. "I, uh, was kind of shocked to see you. Sorry about that."

"No problem. Rather flatterin', really." He got up from the couch to come over, holding out a hand.

Shaking the hand, Harry was a little stunned to realize that Pierce was barely half a foot taller than him. "Hi! I said that earlier. But hi. You're awesome. I love your music." Harry blushed even more; his face felt like he had a bad sunburn and he hoped it didn't show. "Thanks for coming!"

"My pleasure."

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting long. I, uh, sort of wandered off to get away from everyone for a little while…"

"I don't blame you. I remember my twelfth birthday. By the last part of it, I definitely wanted to hide somewhere until everyone left, and I certainly didn't have nowhere near this kind of crowd. You seem to be handlin' it well."

Harry grinned a little. "I've got a lot of help. My, um, family, they've pretty much got everything really planned out and stuff."

"Yeah, I noticed. Green here kept slippin' me notes on what to play."

Harry grinned even more. "I noticed you played my favorite song four times."

"So that's your favorite, huh? I just figured it was a wild country rock song and the stuffy politicians and other people wouldn't be quite as likely to pester you when you were dancing in place and singing along."

Harry's face felt like it was on fire from the intensity of his blush. "You-" He cleared his throat on the squeak. "You saw that?"

He winked. "The sunglasses aren't just for lookin' good; they cut out the glare of the stage lights so I can see who's out there doin' what."

"Oh…"

"It's nice knowing you love the song that much." He chuckled kindly.

"Yeah. Yeah, great song."

"But unfortunately, I need to head off. I've got somewhere I need to be before late afternoon and Merlin have mercy on me if I show up late." He chuckled a little, glancing down at his watch and then back to Harry. "Hey, you're going to Hathorne, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, I am. How'd you know that? Oh, right, it's been in the papers and stuff."

"And plenty of people out there talking about it," Pierce pointed out. "I also recognize some of the school officials that are out there. Not that I went there or anything," he added quickly, laughing heartily in a way that made Harry wonder how he could possibly manage to blush any more. "Nah. They've got this entertainment class and I'm a regular guest speaker. So we'll be seeing each other again in a couple months. Maybe we can chat a little longer then."

"Cool! Yeah, maybe."

"So be good; the obligatory adult warning and all of that." He grinned. "And try not to let the stuffy and boring kill you. Have some fun out there, it's your party." He ruffled Harry's hair and bent down to give him a quick hug. He made Harry squeak again when he gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I left ya somethin'. Green's got it. Birthday present."

"That's so cool… I mean, thanks!"

"Welcome. See ya later." Pierce collected his guitar and with a wink, headed down another hallway.

"So am I just the most awesome person in the world?" Green asked with a grin once they were alone.

"He kissed my cheek!"

Green laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."

"My actual cheek, Green! He kissed my cheek! I'm never washing my cheek ever again!"

"That'll be interesting."

"You know, I think I'm just going to sit here where he was sitting and just grin for a while… see if some of this blood in my face will return to the rest of my body… He kissed my cheek…"

"You do that," Green told him with a laugh.

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"Still pissed?" Al asked.

Harry shrugged, scanning the room for familiar faces.

"It was just a little cake."

"Totally unnecessary."

"Eh, loosen up." Al nudged his shoulder. "You're getting too serious with all of this Davish drama and meeting boring people and-"

"So it was to help me loosen up?" Harry snorted.

"Yeah, sure." Al grinned unrepentantly. "And it was really amusing."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Still love me?"

"Sometimes I just want to smack you."

Al snickered.

"Whatever." Harry sidled over to Al and dug into his pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for gum or something." Harry's fingers found something odd and he pulled his hand out, holding them in his hand. "Marbles?" He studied the three large marbles in his hand, one was covered in multi-colored splotches, like paint splatters, one had a design that made it look like it'd been badly cracked and the third had a cow print on it. "What?"

Al swiped them from his hand and rolled them around in his own, looking very pleased with himself. "Madcap Marbles!"

"I have no idea what those are."

"Say it isn't so!"

"It's so." Harry swiped the cow print one back, studying it closely. "What are Madcap Marbles?"

Al tossed the splotched marble onto the floor. It bounced and spun around as a voice came from it, saying, "nyuk-nyuk-nyuk," over and over in a loop. Al grinned like a loon as Harry stared at it.

"What is that?"

"The Three Stooges."

"Why?"

"Why? What do you mean, why? It's hilarious!" Al tossed the other on the floor; it began to make loud farting noises, something that seemed to delight Al even more.

"Al!"

"What?"

Harry glanced around and saw people starting to look around for the source of the noise. He summoned the marbles so quickly they stung his hand when he grabbed them, but once he held them unmoving in his hand, the noise stopped.

"What?"

"However amusing those might be, and that's stretching on the 'might' there, this really is a bad time for it."

"Oh." Al rocked on his heels a few times. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Harry pushed the marbles back into Al's hand. "Put those away. Why on earth do you have those in your pocket, anyway?"

"They're freaking hilarious," Al sniggered. "And you didn't even get to hear the cow moo one."

"I'll pretend I did," Harry said dryly. "But put those away now. And give me some gum."

"Your mother thinks gum is disgust-"

"Al. Gum."

Al huffed and pulled a pack of gum from his pocket, handing it to Harry. "You're getting all old and no fun now."

"I'm trying not to do something that'll embarrass the crap out of my PDs. My _adult_ PDs," Harry added, seeing Al open his mouth to protest.

"Wounded!" Al gasped. "You've struck me a terrible blow!"

Harry punched his shoulder. "Whatever."

Al sniggered and ruffled Harry's hair roughly with a grin. "Our little boy is getting so violent."

"Oi, lay off." Harry ducked away from his hand as he shoved the gum in his pocket, then pulled his hair free of the hair tie to finger comb it. "I'm growing it longer so it doesn't stick up all over the universe; I don't need you making it worse."

"Aww, you must have a crush somewhere here. Who is it? Who is it?"

Harry pulled his hair back into the tie again, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. I'll see you later. I should probably go mingle."

"With your crush," Al grinned. "So that's why you wanted the gum!"

"I'm not you, Al." Harry pulled the gum from his pocket to pull a piece out then hid the pack back in his pocket.

Al only grinned even more.

"Later." Harry turned to go, and then turned back with a smile. "And by the way, Al, that woman you were hitting on earlier in the green shirt, the one with the long black braid, Casey Dailey?"

Al eyed him suspiciously. "The cutie, yeah. What about her?"

"Casey's a guy."

"What…?" Al gaped. "No way! Casey's a girl's name."

"Casey is a unisex name," Harry pointed out. "And Casey's a guy."

"No way."

"Casey Dailey, head of MCPA, the Magical Creatures Protection Agency, yeah, totally a guy."

"But, no, I talked to… We talked! She has a sing-song voice and all of that jewelry and-"

"And a rather flat chest," Harry grinned. "Because she's a guy."

"No way…"

"Yep. Welcome to the magical world. Talk to you later. Toodles!" Harry turned and darted away with a grin, leaving Al muttering half formed protests.

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"Look what I found."

"Davish." Tony's mouth quirked with amused surprise as he studied the sleeping form of Harry in Hollen's arms. "Jamie."

"I found him passed out in that far corner where the chairs are mostly hidden by the plants. He had a plate of snacks with him. It rather looks like the last three days just caught up with him."

"Huh." Tony shook his head. "Here, I'll take him."

"He's fine," Hollen said a little quickly. "He's not that heavy. I mean, if you move him about too much, he'll probably wake up. He deserves some sleep."

Tony's mouth twitched a little. "Yes, of course. Well, we have rooms here. If you'll just hold on a sec, I'll go let Suntree know where Jamie's getting off to and you can bring him up to his room."

"I suppose I can do that."

Tony scanned the room before making his way over to Suntree. Suntree was talking quietly with several of the security Aurors enlisted for the party, but he broke away from them long enough for several short exchanges. As he made his way back, Tony did another scan of the room, using it as an excuse to study the way Hollen cradled Harry with undeniable protectiveness.

"Sunny'll let everyone know who needs to know," Tony said, motioning for Hollen to fall in step with him. "Of course, most of the party has cleared off by now. Jamie won't be missed."

"The good thing about having such a large party," Hollen said a little dryly as he followed Tony quietly from the room, "is that everyone just assumes the star of the party is off somewhere else, so no one notices when the person isn't there or wonders where they went."

Tony hummed agreement. "Something Jamie figured out quickly and took advantage of."

"He's a smart kid."

"He is," Tony agreed. "Here. We've got a private elevator."

"Well planned party."

"Suntree's doing. He's always very organized."

"I'll give him that."

Tony rolled his eyes, holding the elevator door open for Hollen. Once Hollen was in, Tony shushed the chatty elevator and leaned back against the wall, watching Hollen from the corner of his eye as Hollen studied Harry with a very faint smile. The elevator announced their arrival in a whisper and held its doors open until they were well clear of them.

"He really is exhausted," Hollen observed, giving Harry little glances as he followed Tony. "He hasn't stirred once since I picked him up. He was sort of aware when I first found him, but he settled soon enough."

Tony slid the keycard through the reader on the door and opened the door. "He tends to sleep deeply when he knows he's safe," Tony said once Hollen had come in.

"He has a lot of faith and trust in his PDs, then, to feel that safe even with several dozen strangers still in the room."

Tony smiled to himself as Hollen carefully settled Harry on the bed. "As you said, he hasn't stirred since you picked him up."

"Yeah, that's what I said."

"He wasn't sleeping deeply around several dozen strangers. You said it yourself; he was sort of aware until after you picked him up."

Hollen stilled, one hand holding a handful of sheet that he'd been pulling up around Harry. "Are you saying…?"

"Yes. You."

Hollen made a scoffing noise. "He hardly knows me."

"He knows enough." Tony slid his hands into his pockets with a shrug. "Jamie's good at that, reading people, making a judgment call on who to trust and not trust." Tony smiled faintly. "Has he invited you to dinner yet? He seems to be on his way to adopting adults when he invites them to dinner."

"No… No, he hasn't."

"It's only a matter of time, I'm sure."

"But…" Hollen straightened, smoothing down the sheet, looking a little puzzled. "Well, Laney invited me to dinner."

"Did she really? That hasn't happened yet."

Hollen grunted and glanced around the room. He raised his brow at the huge pile of presents taking up an entire corner of the room.

"Hey, we put no presents on the invitation," Tony said with a little shrug, coming over to wave his wand over Harry. Harry stirred a little in his sleep as his shirt unbuttoned and slid off of him, and he wriggled a little as the jeans did the same underneath the sheet.

"It didn't seem to work," Hollen observed, wandering over to the pile of presents and picking up a few to shake curiously and study the labels.

"You brought him two," Tony pointed out.

"So? I'm… special. I can do that."

Tony snorted, picking up the clothes. He half folded them for the look of it and dropped them on the dresser. "Jer decided we needed to reword the invitations we'd sent out for the third day's invites, luckily. He thought that the wording of 'no presents, please; instead consider a donation to charity' was a little too vague, a little too open to interpretation."

Hollen snorted himself. "Yeah, I got both invitations and I noticed that today's invitation was worded differently. It was much more 'no presents accepted, please donate to charity instead' or whatever it was."

"And yet you brought a present."

"I'm a rebel."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Anyway, Jamie was quite pleased at how few presents he was given today. He's hoping that it means there were donations made instead." Tony looked over at Harry's sleeping form with a fond smile.

"Strange kid."

"He is. But a good kid."

"He has some good qualities," Hollen conceded.

Tony chuckled. "You know you like him."

"How the hell did you get mixed up with him? Last I heard, you were off in the jungles of South America or something."

"I was. And now I'm back."

"Oh? What happened?"

"A mistake. I'm used to the jungle of the streets." He shrugged a little. "They reassigned it; I haven't heard anything more about the case."

"I'm surprised you got sent all the way out there."

"Yes." Tony scratched his cheek. "I was in pursuit. But still…"

"So… was the party as successful as everyone hoped?"

"Definitely so."

"Aside from the, you know," Hollen gestured largely, "boring third day with the 'important people', did Jamie have a good time?"

"He seems to have."

"Good. What do you think you'll be doing with all the presents?"

"Jamie's call mostly. They're all safe, so it's just a matter of him deciding what he wants to do with them."

"Ah. That should be interesting."

"Hollen, why are you making small talk?" Tony asked with a bit of a smile. "Not that I'm objecting to speaking with you, but you aren't one for small talk and neither am I."

Hollen glanced at the bed. His eyes lingered. "Do you think he'll be by Friday? I know he'll be busy once he goes back to school. I'm just wondering if I should plan a last lesson or if he'll be too busy getting ready to leave."

"Jamie's been getting ready to leave for two weeks," Tony said with a chuckle. "The powers of Suntree and Laney combined are no small thing. And a little unexpectedly, Green's been a big help as well."

Hollen sneered a little. "It would have to be unexpected, coming from that."

Tony fixed Hollen with a looks, brows slightly raised.

"What?"

"Don't alienate him, Holl," Tony told him quietly. "That kid will put up with a lot of shit, but he's protective as hell of the people he loves. We've been damned careful not to let him see us seriously squabble. Don't make him have to choose a side."

Hollen sneered even more. "As if that'd be a hard choice."

"Is that your empty pomposity speaking or is it your utter lack of self worth?"

Hollen fixed him with a look that was all teeth. "Watch it, wolf."

Tony perched on the edge of the dresser. "Watch it yourself. Daniel."

Hollen's mouth twisted. "Hollen."

"Tone it down around Green." Tony cocked his head to the side slightly. "Hollen."

"I don't see where it even matters at this point."

"You never do."

Hollen reached out to touch a tangle of loose hair falling across Harry's face. "Will he be by this week?"

Tony shrugged and pushed away from the dresser. "He might be. It's kind of hard to say at this point. Sunny's decided to give Jamie this week off from all of his commitments, but the best laid plans of Suntree are often derailed by the hurricane of Jamie deciding he wants something else."

Hollen's dark expression lightened a little as the faintest hint of a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. "Good boy."

"Infuriating boy, sometimes."

"Very good boy," Hollen approved.

"He's not a dog."

"When do you think I might know if he'll be coming by?" Hollen asked, waving off Tony's comment. "Just so that I can plan, you know. I'm certainly not about to sit around just waiting for him to show up. I have a life."

Tony moved to slouch in the empty chair beside the bed, propping a foot up on the side of the bed and lacing his fingers together over his stomach, eyeing Hollen through half lidded eyes. "It's Jamie."

Hollen raised his brows. "And?"

"Jamie doesn't forget people. He doesn't lose interest. He doesn't easily let people push him away. You're going to see him again. Don't fuck it up."

Hollen sniffed indifferently. "I suppose I can tolerate his presence every so often. Lord knows the boy could do with a little guidance on being the most fabulous he can be."

Tony gave him a half-lidded smile. "That's probably the last thing he needs guidance on, but he'll be pleased to know you want to see him."

"I never said that."

"No, of course not."

"But as you can see, he's upstairs and tucked into bed." Hollen gave Harry's sheets a little tug, tucked them in a little, pushed the hair from Harry's face and dimmed the light beside the bed. "And still fast asleep. I have no reason to be here any longer."

"Mm."

Hollen lingered a moment, a flicker of some emotion lost in the shadows of the dimmed room, then he gave Tony a curt nod and turned to leave without looking back. The door closed with a soft click. After a few moments Harry sighed heavily and pressed into his pillow.

"You awake, 'cat?" Tony murmured. The figure on the bed didn't even twitch. Tony smiled to himself.


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes. The KKKKK when I separate scenes is to make it harder for ffnet to mess up the scene divisions.

Reviews: I adore everyone!

Betas: Hugs to them all. Hugs! And strawberries!

AN: Hathorne next chapter! And I don't have anything more to say except… ENJOY! And review, of course. Oh, next chapter might take a while. It's in the beta and review process, but it's huge, like 50 pages.

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 37

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"Hey, Jamie." Tony dropped down to sit in the grass, eyeing the sprawled coyote with amusement as he put the box in his hand down next to him. "That stick taste good?"

The coyote stopped chewing on the stick long enough to give him a coyote grin.

"I bet you'll regret that when you change back and you have the taste of stick in your mouth."

He just chewed on the stick with renewed vigor.

Tony dropped his hand to pet the yellowish brown fur and found it slightly damp. "Have you been splashing around in the pool again?" he chuckled.

The innocent 'who me?' look was clear even on the coyote's face. Tony just chuckled again and went back to petting.

"I've got something for you, kid," Tony said after a while. "Change back?"

The stick was nosed away and then Harry changed back, sitting up slowly as he tried not to make a face.

"Told you. The taste of stick."

"I didn't ask your opinion," Harry told him with a sniff, arranging himself in a cross-legged pose and stretching his arms above his head. "So what's that?" He nodded to the box.

"Something from Hollen."

Harry half scowled.

"He left it in the mailroom for you." Tony picked up the box and handed it to Harry.

After a moment of considering the box, Harry took it with a sigh. "I'm still irritated with him," he muttered, studying the shoe-box sized plain cardboard box.

"He's well aware." Tony extended a slip of paper. "It was on top of the box."

Harry took the paper and studied the somewhat jagged, left-leaning handwriting. "That's it? 'I shall attempt to tolerate the southern for you'?"

"Coming from Hollen, that's a lot."

Harry rolled his eyes and pulled the top of the box off, then stared. The box was completely filled with chocolate bars, all of them in different wrappers, some clearly magical, some not, some even in languages Harry couldn't identify, let alone read. "What?"

"It's his way of apologizing," Tony said with a shrug. "Judging from his offering, he's really trying to apologize."

"With chocolate? Doesn't he know that chocolate bars are hardly an adequate apology for being that much of an ass?"

"Words… don't come easily to him."

"Chocolate is ridiculous. What is it with him and chocolate? He gave me chocolate once before to apologize for something and that time he didn't even have to apologize. That has to be the stupidest and most cliché thing to give to someone as a way to apologize."

"Hollen wasn't allowed to have chocolate as a kid," Tony said quietly.

"Why?"

Tony leaned back on his hands, studying the sky. "For a rather mean reason."

"Tony, don't do that. Either say something or don't say it; don't leave it hanging out there unfinished."

Tony fixed him with a half lidded, unreadable look. "He wasn't allowed to have chocolate because he liked it."

"What?"

"You heard me."

Harry looked down at the chocolate bars.

Tony leaned over to peer into the box. "You know… I'm pretty sure you can't get a lot of those in this country. Hollen must have cleaned out his private stock."

"Material things still aren't the right way to apologize…"

"Even when they have personal meaning?"

Harry sighed. "You think he'll really stop being a dick?"

"I doubt Hollen stops being a dick in his sleep," Tony said dryly. "But I do believe that he'll actually try to restrain himself to some degree."

"Why won't he let me stay irritated with him?" Harry grumbled.

"I suspect it's because he cares about you."

"That man is going to drive me crazy."

Tony chuckled.

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Harry rolled over on his bed and reached for the small wooden box under his nightstand. There was no lid or lock or obvious seam on its flat surface, just a colorful abstract geometric pattern. He turned it over in his hands, fingers sliding over the slick surface of the wood, as his eyes fell on the thick Hathorne letter on his bed.

"Round and round and round she goes, where she stops, nobody knows," Harry murmured. The cube broke apart in his hands, falling to the bed as a puzzle of abstract shapes. He picked up the folded letter that had been inside it and unfolded it carefully.

In comparison to the Hathorne package that had come with detailed information about the courses offered, necessary supplies, rules and regulations, the campus layout, the school's history and everything in between, the Hogwarts letter was little more than a footnote. But there was something about the magic that clung to it that drew Harry back again and again, smoothing over the finely textured parchment and tracing the curling green ink.

The magic lingering on the letter wasn't deliberate; the deliberate magic had been stripped from the letter before it'd been given to him. But it was compelling. It drew his attention, and now that Harry had finer control over his ability to sense and read magic, he could tell that the magic was old, but disjointed, absorbed simply from being in a highly magical environment.

He'd felt magic that old only a few times in America; when he'd visited the Magurists and the few times he'd visited various Native American sites. Most of magical America wasn't old enough to have built up that much magic, and places that had heavy, frequent magic use were controlled, the excess magic drained and funneled into powering wards and other building functions.

"I wonder how much of this is true…?" Harry mused, sliding his finger over the paragraph about his parents. "Well. More like how much is exaggerated…" He turned to the supply list and his eyes strayed to the Hathorne papers spread across his bed, the three page supply list set aside for their final shopping trip.

Serish peered out from under the Hathorne course schedule. 'You make noise to yourself.'

'It's a human thing. And I'm reading something.'

Serish slithered out from under the schedule and over to him to wind up his arm, her head coming to rest on the side of his wrist, angled towards the paper like she was going to read it. 'Tell me what this crinkling object tells you.'

Harry laughed. 'It's just talking about my parents. Someone wanted me to come to their school and told me things about my parents to make me want to.'

'Why?'

'It's another human thing. Humans say things that make other humans feel things that influence how they think.'

'Did it work?'

Harry considered the letter. 'No, it didn't. But…'

'Doubt?'

'Sometimes I wonder what it might be like to go to the school where my parents went.'

'Why not going?'

'Happier here, have friends and family, places I know.'

'Better in own territory.'

Harry smiled. 'I suppose it is.'

'And your school, this place of learning, I am going. I will help you learn. You need it.'

Harry bit his lips to keep from laughing at her. 'Yes, you'll go with me.'

'Are you going now?'

'No, but soon.'

He glanced at the floor as he felt the wards tingling, admitting someone Apparating, and he checked the time. 'Right then.' He folded up the Hogwarts letter. 'I have to go find things for my school today.'

'Come?'

'Be quiet and stay hidden?'

'Yes.'

'Come, yes.' Harry picked up the largest geometric piece, a corner that still had its three sides, and he pressed the letter into the recess. He looked up, focusing on a poster of one of his favorite bands and focusing on speaking English. "Because she stops in a place that doesn't exist." The pieces of the box flew up and reassembled themselves, forming a smooth, seamless cube once again. He wriggled forward and put it under his nightstand before sitting up to gather his Hathorne things.

"You ready to go, Jamie?" Suntree called out, voice coming from somewhere around the stairs.

"Yeah. Just let me put my shoes on." Harry lifted his arm to his shoulder and Serish took her cue to move, first to his shoulder and then winding loosely around his neck like a necklace.

"You're bringing the snake?" Suntree asked from the doorway.

"She won't bite you," Harry teased.

"I'm aware."

"Sunny's afraid of snakes."

"No. I'm simply not as fond of them as some people."

Harry grinned, wriggling his feet into shoes and leaning down to tie them. "Scaredy cat."

"Come along, child."

"Scaredy cat, scaredy cat."

"Your eloquence never ceases to amaze me."

Harry stuck out his tongue as he grabbed the backpack at the foot of his bed.

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"Oh, the cloud chairs are so amazing," Cam gushed, a dreamy look on her face. "It's some sort of moldable cloth chair with a cushioning charm on it and it's like you're just floating. And they do your nails and the facial and your hair and everything without ever making you move. Well, you have to move for the massages, but they're so worth it."

Al made an unimpressed noise and shot a look at Harry that clearly said he didn't appreciate having his lunch interrupted with this. Harry shrugged, trying not to snicker, and gave him a look back that he hoped adequately conveyed that it wasn't his fault she'd spotted their table and joined them.

"You should have seen the room I had, too. The bathroom was as big as my bedroom! Jacuzzi bathtub, one of those showers where you can direct the water to come from anywhere, oh, I want to get one of those so bad, marble everywhere. And the bedroom and suite was bigger than my entire apartment, filled with fresh flowers every day, exotic fruit, warmed robes and slippers, and these huge windows showing nothing but the sea and sky for miles."

"So," Al put in as Cam stopped raving about her cruise long enough to take a bite of her sandwich, "we're-"

"And the food," Cam cut in. "Oh, the food. Lobster, steaks, truffles, anything you've ever wanted, everything there's ever been, all yours any time you want them. Your elf will fetch anything you want, any time you want, anywhere you want. And man, I'm seriously thinking about hiring an elf to come into the apartment several days a week. It won't be the same, of course, not there picking up everything every day, tidying up, taking care of the clothes and dishes and all of the household stuff, and of course the elf wouldn't be waking me every morning with breakfast in bed and the schedule of events for the day and-"

Harry tuned Cam out, turning his attention to the USAS cafeteria instead. He'd heard her cruise ship babblings in-depth the night before when she'd dropped in with gifts; the business of people eating and chatting and teasing all around him was far more interesting.

He watched for a few minutes, particularly amused by a family with children obviously visiting the USAS cafeteria for the first time if their constant looking around and pointing was anything to go by, when he spotted Hollen.

"Hey, it's Holly." Harry studied the figure leaning in to read something on a bulletin board. He was still recognizably Hollen, though his features were sharper and his hair was more dark brown than red. "We ought to invite him over," Harry decided, considering the dark jeans and simple blue shirt the other wore. "He looks subdued today."

"We don't really know him…" Cam put in slowly.

Harry turned back to them, glancing between her and Al; they both looked slightly uncomfortable. "Then here's your chance to get to know him. He's an ass, I admit, but I still like him. You'll have to get to know him someday."

Al fidgeted. "I don't know…"

"Seriously, he's not the big bad monster under the bed," Harry snorted, turning back to study Hollen. "Get over it. And that means be nice to him, or at least civil." When Hollen turned away from the bulletin board, his cafeteria tray balanced on one arm, Harry waved to get his attention.

Hollen raised a brow at Harry then smiled in a tolerant sort of way as he wove around the table to get to theirs, a hand resting on his tray to keep it balanced. His eyes flicked from Harry to the other two and back again as he stopped beside their table. "I rather thought you'd be too busy with school things to be sitting around here," he remarked.

"Nah. The powers of Mom and Suntree combined are awesome and terrible in their might." Harry grinned. "They've got things pretty well organized. Without Kathy's help, thank you very much. But anyway, the first week at Hathorne is the only week that anyone boarding has to stay the entire week, seeing as how there're orientation kinds of things and they want you to go through your entire schedule once without interruption and all of that. So I'm good. If I forget anything I can't live without, I only have to wait a week before I can go home and find it."

"Mm." Hollen picked a piece of carrot off of his plate to eat. "Did you call me over here for something, or did you just wish to ensure I get a little more exercise?"

"Hah, hah." Harry rolled his eyes. "Want to join us?"

Hollen looked past Harry and his expression turned from vaguely amused to neutrally pleasant. Harry glanced back at Al and Cam and saw that they'd plastered fake, weak, unconvincing smiles on their faces.

"I think not," Hollen said a little crisply after a second, drawing Harry's attention back to him; his hair and eyes had both darkened to a brown that was almost black. "I wouldn't want to interrupt your meal," he continued, voice a little less brusque. "In any case, I'd rather sit by myself." His mouth pursed slightly. "I wouldn't want to break tradition." He turned and left with business-like briskness, heading towards an empty table in the shadows of two trees.

Harry watched Hollen settle there, facing vaguely in their direction, but with his head down and his hair growing to fall around his face. He unwrapped his silverware, arranged his napkin and drink with fussy movements, then proceeded to push food around on his plate without ever bringing the fork to his mouth.

"I guess he didn't want company," Al remarked.

Harry carefully put down the fork he was holding before looking at Al with a scowl. "Gee, you think?"

"I didn't say anything to him."

"Your silence communicated more than enough."

"You can't blame us-"

"You better believe I can blame you all I want. Seriously, he was being _pleasant_."

"We hardly know him," Cam protested. "Besides, he's…"

Harry's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "He's?"

"He's… him," she finished weakly.

"Oh, I see, 'he's him'." Harry gave them both a hard look. "Sitting down at a table with him will not kill you."

"Give us a break, kid," Al muttered. "He's…"

"Him, I bet," Harry said coolly.

"He's fucking Davish." Al sat back. "He's _Davish_. He's _DWD_."

"He's _what_?"

"Er, Death-Wish Davish," Cam muttered.

"I cannot believe you two." Harry began putting things back on his tray. "First of all, he's a human fucking being-"

"Watch your language," Cam told him as Al said, "We don't know him at all."

"And you never will if you keep acting like retards, for one thing." Harry took his onion rings back from Al. "And for another, I'll use any language I damn well want and you can tell whoever the hell you want to tell; I don't care."

"Jamie," Al told him carefully, "we were just not expecting him to join us. We haven't had much contact with him."

"Because you run away every time you see him."

"Jamie, he's a legend; he's not someone you chat with socially-"

"Hah!" Harry pulled his tray close and stood up. "You of all people…" Harry took a deep breath. "Fine, he's a legend, shock and awe, what-the-fuck-ever. There's this kid, maybe you've heard of him, his name's Harry fucking Potter and he's a legend, too. That's another you want to avoid chatting with socially because he really hates that-"

"It's not the same thing," Cam protested.

"It really is." Harry planted his hands on the table, leaning in. "So what, he's a freaking legend? And I know what you're thinking, you're thinking he's also unstable, scary, intense, whatever intimidating adjective can describe him this week. Lucky him. People are either in awe of him, completely terrified or that wonderful, twisted combination of the two. And guess what? It fucking sucks. Got that? Being a legend is _shit_. You know nothing about him and you're complicating what you don't know with these vague stories that are only half truths about something that happened a damned decade ago. Think about that for a while!" Harry took a deep breath as he picked up his tray. "I will be over _there_, with Holly, because he's my _friend_." Harry turned and half stalked away from the table, taking deep breaths and trying not to look as irritated as he felt.

Hollen looked up from his food arranging when Harry was a couple of yards from the table, giving Harry a half-heartedly curious look. "Yeah?"

"They are completely retarded," Harry informed him. "So I'm joining you. Don't argue with me; I won't be argued with. Just scoot over so that I can sit next to you and shoot cool, disapproving looks their way if they glance over."

Hollen's brows went up in surprise as he stared at Harry. After a few seconds he shifted over obligingly. "Won't you get in trouble?"

"Thank you." Harry set his tray down and slid into the booth next to Hollen. "And who knows. But it won't be the first time. I'm already in trouble for snapping at Kathy, so what's a little more on top of things."

"Kathy?"

"Kathy Dunham. She's Mom's friend, friend of the family, that sort of thing." Harry began rearranging his tray to his liking.

"Why are you in trouble?"

"Because I'm getting my life at Hathorne organized to my liking, but apparently she's a voice of experience and I should listen to her and do exactly as she says, grateful for her wisdom, when she tells me I'm doing something wrong."

Hollen perked up a little, looking interested. "Really?"

"Well, according to Kathy. I mean, not in those words, of course, but that's so totally the spirit behind it. You see, she came by and was all 'oh, no, you need to do this first' and 'you should see about getting that changed on your schedule because you don't want to take those two classes back-to-back, you'll regret it' and 'there's no reason to pack your Game Boy, you're going to be entirely too busy studying' and then she tried to take it from me." Harry shook his head.

"So what'd you do?"

"Words, you know, I was ignoring those, or trying to, but don't touch my stuff. Just, no, don't touch my stuff. I took it back. Yeah, I took it back. And I repacked it. It was mine and I was taking it and Mom didn't care. But then Kathy's all 'you're being disrespectful' and I was all 'Mom knows what I'm taking to Hathorne and she doesn't care' and then she was all 'I really don't think your mother knows you're taking games' and I was all 'Oh, but she really does, really, seriously, go ask her' and then Kathy was all 'You're being even more disrespectful and we'll just see about this' and I was all 'okay, whatever, I'm busy' and then Mom came in and she was all Mom, which means she took Kathy's side, sort of, mostly, yeah, she took Kathy's side, and they took the Game Boy away because I was apparently being completely disrespectful. Whatever." Harry offered his milkshake to Hollen. "Would you like to try my milkshake? It's strawberry shortcake."

Hollen gave the shake an odd look. "No, that's all right."

Harry took a sip of the milkshake. "But Suntree totally took my side. He came in during the Kathy and Mom exchange where Mom was all 'well, I did say he could take it, but that was kind of disrespectful' and he got all of the versions about what happened and he gave Kathy this pretty cool look I don't know how to describe and she ignored him. I don't think he likes her all that much now that I really think about it… But anyway, Suntree took my side in his Suntree sort of way, all mild and quiet, which means he'll probably give me something even cooler to take and I won't even care about the Game Boy."

"Will he now?"

"Okay, he'll give Tony significant looks and Tony will sneak me something super cool and awesome and all will be good, but it's the same thing."

"How fascinating."

"Are you sure you don't want any milkshake?" Harry gave him a bright smile. "It's delicious. Seriously, it's very, very good. I would totally tell you that it's the best milkshake on earth even if I didn't like milkshakes, but I do like milkshakes, so I'm not just an uninvolved bystander, I'm a voice of great experience. Are you sure you don't want to try it?"

Hollen snorted. "Quite sure."

Harry held out a celery stick. "Celery, then? It's very extra snappy today. I have dressing to go with it, too. Ranch. Mm, dressing. You know you want to."

Hollen took it from him slowly. "All right."

"Wonderful. Oh, I completely forgot." Harry shifted to give Hollen a hug around the stomach, shouldering his way under Hollen's arm. "There. You've been hugged. Everyone should be hugged at least once a day. Now eat your celery."

Hollen took a bite of the celery.

"No dressing?" He pushed the dressing towards Hollen. "You're not one of those weird double dipping people, are you? Freak out at the very idea of it? Suntree is. I love him, I really do, but it's super weird. I can drink his drinks and steal bites of his food, but he gets huffy about double dipping. It's really weird."

"You seem to attract the weird."

"Must be why I'm your friend."

Hollen raised his brows slightly. "You're eleven."

"Weren't you just not totally at my birthday party?"

"I have no idea what you just said."

Harry rolled his eyes. "You were totally at my birthday party, weren't you?"

"Twelve, then. You're twelve. Are you happy now?"

"I'm twelve, of course I'm happy."

"Good. You're twelve."

Harry shrugged. "And so what? Yeah, I'm your friend. Most of the time you treat me like I'm either five or thirty, so what difference does it make?"

"I never recall saying we were friends. I don't have any friends."

"You _think_ you don't have friends. And I didn't say we were friends in the first place; I said that I'm _your_ friend. And there's nothing you can do about that, either. It's a personal choice. You have every right to decide if you're my friend, but me being your friend is entirely on my side of this thing and it's all about how I decide to feel about you and you can't change it. Granted, my state of mind is shifty and liable to change, but you can't change it, only I can. See the difference?"

"That I can't change your mind?"

"What? No. That I can be your friend, even if you aren't mine. Duh."

Hollen studied him with amused bemusement. "Have you had too much sugar today or something?"

"Not in the least." Harry looked down at Hollen's plate. "And you really ought to be eating that, not- ooh, can I have a piece of bourbon chicken?"

"Because onion rings, a salad and a milkshake aren't weird enough?" Hollen asked dryly.

"Certainly not."

Hollen shrugged. "Whatever."

"Awesome." Harry speared a piece of bourbon chicken with his fork and nibbled with a well satisfied sigh. He glanced over Al and Cam and found them watching with vaguely worried expressions. He sent a highly displeased frown their way, then looked back to Hollen with a bright smile. "Would you like an onion ring?"

Hollen stared at him. "That was, um, a bit Jekyll and Hyde there. Maybe even a little unsettling. Cheerful and sweet, glare, cheerful and sweet."

"Jekyll and Hyde is one of my many talents," Harry informed him with a smile, holding out an onion ring. "Onion ring?"

"What the hell," Hollen muttered after a moment, accepting the onion ring. "It's not as if this'll get any weirder."

"Naughty Holly, tempting Jamie's quirky personality to come out and play."

Hollen's mouth twitched up a little. "It's not already out playing?"

"Just peeking out from its cage."

"You keep it in a cage?"

"It can be quite the beast at times."

"I see." Hollen stared at him for a moment, the corners of his mouth turning up a little more.

Harry watched with well concealed satisfaction as Hollen's coal black hair began to shift to a more normal red brown.

"Would you like some more chicken?" Hollen offered after a bit of playing with his fork. "Or maybe some noodles?"

"That would be lovely, thank you." Harry shook his milkshake in Hollen's direction. "Are you absolutely sure you don't want to try the milkshake?"

"Why are you trying to feed me, child?"

"Because you should eat. It's lunch time. That's what people do during lunch time. It's a time for eating lunch; imagine that."

"Not everyone eats lunch at lunchtime."

"Yeah, well, they should. They're missing a prime opportunity to eat lunch right there. So there." Harry stuck out his tongue.

Hollen snorted. "No, I don't want any milkshake."

"Your loss."

"Maybe I don't like milkshakes," Hollen pointed out.

Harry stopped dishing bourbon chicken and noodles off of Hollen's plate into his onion ring bowl to stare at him. "Not like milkshakes? What kind of freak doesn't like milkshakes?"

Hollen raised a brow at him.

"I mean, I can totally understand not liking flavors or something. And I can even kind of understand maybe not liking the extra thick ones or the milky ones or whatever. But seriously, milkshakes in general? As a whole? That's just freaking weird."

"Maybe I'm lactose intolerant," Hollen suggested. "That's-"

"I know what that is," Harry interrupted. "I'm not four. And you're not. I know for a fact that you're not."

"What? Four?"

Harry gave him a look. "Lactose intolerant."

"And how do you know?"

"Because I'm observant. You know, you praised me on that when we first met."

"And when did you observe me not being lactose intolerant?"

"Does my birthday party ring a bell? Because you had big scoops of ice cream and small little pieces of cake on both days. So there."

"I see." Hollen fiddled with his fork again. "You're being obnoxious today. There's something seriously wrong with the world when someone being obnoxious is kind of tolerable and amusing."

"It's the Jamie," Harry told him with a grin. "I radiate Jamie energy and warp the world around me to my liking."

Hollen rolled his eyes.

"Here." Harry put some onion rings on a napkin and pushed it over to Hollen. He fixed Hollen with a stern, no-nonsense look when Hollen tried to push them back. After a few seconds of the look, Hollen began to pick at the breading on one of them instead.

"I don't recognize the girl," he remarked after a while.

Harry looked up as he sucked a noodle into his mouth. "What?"

"The girl." He jerked his head towards Cam. "I don't recognize her."

"Okay, first of all, she's not a girl. She's a woman, if you must, or a female if you want to be technical. But her name's Cam, okay?"

Hollen shrugged. "So? I don't recognize her. She's one of your PDs?"

"Yep."

"Why wasn't she at your party?"

"Maybe she was."

Hollen gave him a look. "Give my observational skills a little more credit."

"Just like you gave mine credit?" Harry asked, raising his brows.

Hollen gave him another look.

Harry snickered. "Okay, fine. She was on a cruise."

"One of your PDs went on a cruise instead of going to your birthday party? That's-"

"Phoenix Cruise, Holly," Harry interrupted. "It was a Phoenix Cruise. Only the most amazing and expensive and perfect magical cruise you can ever go on."

"Hmm…"

"And anyway, her mom gave her a Phoenix Cruise package for Christmas. We think she was hoping that Cam would meet a nice guy and want to have a family instead of a kick-ass career- but that's beside the point. The point is, she was given a Phoenix Cruise package and so far this year, she's scheduled and had to cancel twice for work reasons. When they gave her the next available slots as being part of the weekend of my birthday and then sometime next year, like in the middle of the year, of course I told her to go on the cruise. Duh."

Hollen snorted.

"Hey, you know you'd go on the cruise, too."

"Maybe."

"You know you would."

"Hm."

"But hey!" Harry nudged him with his elbow. "Mom tells me she invited you over for dinner! You're gonna come, right?"

"Mm."

"Oh come on. You gotta! You can meet my snake, Serish. She's awesome. And Tony will be there. Granted, he's pretty much living there now. But Tony will be there; you and Tony actually get along."

"Hm?"

"What are you 'hm'ing?" Harry gave him a look. "Eat."

Hollen almost idly picked up an onion ring and took a bite of it. "Tony's living with you and your mom?"

"We have a PD house," Harry explained. "Well, technically it's a guest house, but all of our guests are PDs, and Tony's claimed a room as his own for forever, Sunny's just about done the same thing, and the others are practically half moved in, so it's really the PD house."

"I see."

"And you should get to know the other PDs, too."

"Why?"

"Because we spend time together," Harry told him as if it were obvious. "So you should get to know everyone else." He waved a heating charm over his food as he took a noisy drink from his milkshake. "Al's cool. He's one of the idiots that the table. So he's cool when he's not being a retard. You'll have to forgive him, he's kind of young."

Hollen burst out with a moment of real laughter. "He's young? And you're not?"

Harry made a dismissive sound. "Old in spirit. Like how people have inner children struggling to get out? I have an insane old person trying to get out." Harry grinned. "He's rather taxing to deal with at times, but alas, such is my life."

"Are you sure you haven't had, like, an entire bowl of sugar today?"

"Quite sure. I had raisin bran for breakfast. With bananas." Harry grinned. "Because bananas are awesome. And you're obviously seeing what I'm having for my late lunch. And oh, I had some carrot sticks and broccoli around eleven."

"What? Uncooked broccoli?"

"Best thing ever."

"That has got to be the strangest thing I think I've heard so far."

"You know, just because most children don't like broccoli doesn't mean you should stereotype them all that way. Especially a unique flower such as myself."

Hollen chuckled. "You're a unique flower, all right."

"But as I was saying… Al's kind of young. And Cam, too, really. I mean, you'd think…" Harry sighed and shook his head. "You'd think they'd be able to look beyond the obvious and see what's really there and not pay any attention to any sort of legend thing going on, but no. I guess there's just a hell of a lot more going on with you being a legend and everything connected to you being a legend. But still. Really. Seriously. Completely. Totally. Help me out, I'm running out of words."

"Entirely?"

"Ooh, good one. Got any more?"

"Utterly? Exclusively?"

"Very nice. Though it calls to mind the image of designer cows on limited release."

"What?"

"Well, utterly makes me think of udderly which makes me think of udders which makes me think of cows. And exclusively always makes me think of only being able to get something really nice in a particular place and that makes me think of only being able to get things for a limited time. So it ends with really nice cows on limited release, and if you're going down that road, they might as well be designer cows." Harry took a bite of one of his onion rings. "I've always wanted a designer cow."

Hollen laughed again. "You're one weird kid."

"I prefer to think of myself as peculiar. Sort of like pickles."

Hollen put his arm around him and gave him a little shake. "You are, in fact, peculiar like pickles," he said agreeably. "Very much so."

Harry studied his assortment of food. "And sadly, pickles I do not have. I have cucumbers. I like cucumbers, too. But pickles are like cucumbers with special powers. Do you know how pickles are made?"

"From cucumbers. About all I know."

"It's a brine fermentation process. I was rather bored in the library a couple of weeks ago."

"And you just decided out of nowhere to look up information on pickles?"

"Yes."

Hollen studied him. "Yeah, I can see it."

"Mmhm." Harry wound some noodles around his fork and after several unsuccessful attempts to bring the fork to his mouth with the noodles intact he just put a light holding charm on them until he got the fork into his mouth. He was aware of Hollen watching him with an odd expression. Harry raised his brows at him and looked pointedly at Hollen's fork and then at Hollen's plate.

"Is that a hint that I should be eating?"

"Mmhm."

Hollen gave a bit of a shrug. "I was in the mood for it when I bought it, but I wasn't really once I sat down. It smelled good when I first got it; I guess the charm wore off by the time I got back to the table."

Harry gave him an unconvinced look.

"What?"

He rolled his eyes and shifted to give Hollen another quick hug.

"I wasn't aware that was a hug worthy comment," Hollen remarked, patting his back a little.

"Don't even try that," Harry mumbled into his side. After a second he pulled back and fixed Hollen with an exasperated, amused look. "The charm wore off?"

Hollen gave him a slightly cool look. "Yes."

"Whatever. Take my salad, I'll take your Chinese, and everything will once again be right with the world."

"Maybe I'm not hungry. Maybe I wasn't very hungry when I came in here."

Harry eyed the large plate of Chinese food on Hollen's tray. "Not buying that story."

Hollen studied him for a handful of moments.

"Salad. Salad is yummyful. Full of yum. And goodness. You should be eating." Harry poked Hollen's side lightly. "You should take better care of yourself."

"Pushy, aren't you?"

"Highly opinionated, remember?"

"In other words, pushy."

"Strongly opinionated. And obstinate. And-"

"Obnoxious?"

Harry eyed him. "It continues the 'O' theme, granted, but not a word I would have chosen for myself. No, not a word I would have chosen. Not a very uplifting word, is it? Not something really befitting someone of my greatness. I think you should take that word back to the store and get another."

Hollen snorted. "Does outlandish work better for you, your highness?"

"Ah, much better. Yes. Much better. And now that that's solved, you'll be taking the salad, yes? And I can have the Chinese goodness? Though, just a tip for the future, in case you ever decide to take me out for Chinese, not that I'm saying that you would, but it would be totally awesome if you did, but if you ever do take me out for Chinese, or in some other way involve me in Chinese food escapades, just a tip, I actually tend to prefer white rice."

"I see. And you couldn't have just said, 'hey, I like white rice better' or something?"

"I just did."

"There was a lot of unnecessary babble added in."

"I still said it."

Hollen snorted and switched their plates.

"Completely wonderful. Fabulous, even. Seriously, completely, totally-"

"Eat."

"Fabulous." Harry set into the food with a pleased little smile. Several minutes passed in comfortable silence.

"Oh, kid?"

"Yes, adult?"

"You can turn the volume down on that cheer now. I'm in a better mood."

Harry gave him a wide-eyed, innocent look.

"That doesn't fool me. At all. I might have fallen for it if I didn't know you better, but I do. You can take the manic cheerfulness and turn the heat down. I'm actually rather surprised you tried so hard."

"That's what friends do. They try and make you smile when you want to frown."

"I'm still not so sure about that friend thing."

"Friends are people that you like being around, have things in common with, feel affection, regard and trust for. To name just a few things. I'm quite sure about it on my side of things, and that's all I can really control."

Hollen regarded him with an odd expression. "I really would have thought your PDs would have tried harder to warn you off by now."

"They have."

"They have?"

"Yes, they have."

"But you're still…"

"I'm not a puppet, you know. I can make my own decisions." Harry shifted to face Hollen. "They talked to me about you and I told them that I really have no intention of not liking you because of something in your past. This year has been a big learning experience for me, from Quidditch camp to my birthday party and lots of little things in-between. I'm going to have to make very definite decisions in life and stick to them. And making it clear that you're my friend and I won't put up with stupidity from my family is something that I've decided to be very definite about."

"This friend thing…"

Harry studied him. "What? Is it just my age or the fact you obviously have no idea how to have friends?"

"Watch it."

Harry gave him a sweet smile.

"You're twelve."

"Yes, I am. But that doesn't define me. You need to stop attaching me to my age and instead attach my age to me. Understand? You already treat me like an adult much of the time; this shouldn't be so hard."

"You know, when I met you, I certainly didn't think…"

"Yeah? Most people don't. But then they get sucked in, too," Harry told him cheerfully. "Suntree tells me I have a very magnetic personality. And that's awesome. I always get this image of me standing all serene-like and people flying through the air and sticking to me, pulled by my magneticness. Now that's a cool image, don't you think?"

Hollen snorted and reached out to ruffle his hair.

"Hey, don't mess up the style."

"What style? It's sticking up everywhere like it hasn't seen a comb or brush in years. And don't tell me that's a style. That's not a style, that's a disaster."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"I suggest you eat my Chinese before it gets cold."

"Warming charms are awesome. And it's my food now. That's what happens when you switch. My unexpected Chinese. Rar."

"Did you just say rar?" Hollen asked with a smile.

"Raaar."

"Eat your food."

Harry smiled back and turned to the plate of Chinese food. A flick of his hand cast a warming charm over the food and a tap of his finger applied one to the plate. With that done, he set into it, aware of Hollen watching him thoughtfully as he picked at the salad.

"So, Holly?" Harry said after several minutes.

"Yes, fiend?"

"Are you busy today?"

"Am I busy?"

"I obviously don't know. That's why I asked you."

Hollen flicked him on the shoulder.

Harry shot him a wounded look as he rubbed his shoulder. "Ow."

"I'm so not falling for that."

"Fine." Harry dropped his hand. "Are you busy?"

"Maybe not."

"Maybe not?"

"I'm trying to figure out why you might be asking and what answer might be safest."

Harry snickered. "Is Holly scared of little ol' Jamie?"

"Holly is thinking that little ol' Jamie isn't the most stable Jamie around."

Harry grinned. "So if your public image is to be believed, we'll get along just fine then."

Hollen stared at him. "That's the way you've heard me described?"

Harry put down his fork slowly. "Surely you must be aware of that."

"Yes, of course, but…"

Harry shifted a little closer to him. "But?"

Hollen gave a shrug. "Unstable isn't a very flattering word, that's all," he said airily.

"There're an awful lot of words that aren't. But words are just words. How would you describe yourself?"

"Uh… I don't know. Fabulous?"

Harry snorted. "And?"

"Amazing?"

Harry rolled his eyes.

"So how would you describe yourself?" Hollen asked.

"Fabulous and amazing," Harry said with a snicker.

"There you go."

"Seriously, though," Harry said with a little laugh, "I'd have to say… I'm pretty quirky, but my family is pretty quirky and my life has never been what you could call conventional or traditional in any way. I'm highly opinionated to the point of seeming inflexible, but if people just talk to me rationally, I like to think that I'm open to new ideas. I'm just the kind of person to dig in my heels on something if someone is refusing to see other possibilities."

Hollen snorted. "That I can certainly see."

Harry grinned. "I'm pretty smart and I know it, and I'm pretty magically powerful and I definitely know it. I have to work sometimes on not being a bit arrogant. With the family I have, that's actually not too hard. They're always happy to kick my butt if I seem to need a reality check. Especially Mom and The Spoon-"

"The Spoon," Hollen interrupted dryly. "Must you say it so dramatically?"

"Yes, I must." Harry crumbled an onion ring up over the noodles. "The PDs have actually included The Spoon in the important need-to-know info that they've put together in case someone else needs to stand in for one of them in the future. The Spoon is a very powerful force in my house."

"What's so special about this spoon?"

"No, no, no. It's… The Spoon."

"Fine, what's so special about… The Spoon?"

Harry grinned. "It's my mom's spoon of doom. She doesn't have magic. You know that, right?"

"Yes."

"She doesn't need magic; she has The Spoon."

"Dun, dun, dun," Hollen added under his breath.

Harry grinned. "Exactly. Now, The Spoon looks pretty harmless at first glance, but don't be fooled by the innocent appearance. While it might look like a faded, wooden baking spoon, it's actually an instrument designed to deliver doom in the form of a sharp, hard whack. And she doesn't mess around with that thing. It's like the Wild West with her. I'm not even sure where she keeps The Spoon most of the time, I just know it's in her hand at the slightest sign of misbehavior. You might think you can dodge The Spoon, but it always finds you. You might think you can handle the smack, but it always gets you. Even the PDs respect The Spoon."

"I think that actually almost gave me goose bumps."

"As well it should."

Hollen gave him an odd smile. "Life must be very interesting at your house."

"Oh yes, very."

Hollen shook his head as if to clear it. "You were asking about my day?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to maybe watch the second Turtles movie. I noticed you have it when I visited last time."

"Your PDs will probably have a heart attack," he said after a few moments, nodding to the table where Cam and Al were keeping a close eye on them.

"I'm rather ticked off at them at the moment. They can deal."

"Can they now?"

"Yes. They can. Turtles?"

Hollen poked at the salad briefly. "Well. You want to?"

"I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't."

"I suppose I have time for that, if it's all right with them."

"Don't worry." Harry shot a glare towards Al and Cam. "It will be."

"It almost feels like there should be an ominous thunder crack about now."

"That's life. Dramatic sounds of nature are always missing their cues. I should start carrying a tape recorder of sounds with me."

Hollen laughed.

"Now eat your salad," Harry told him.

"Eh, my appetite comes and goes."

"Milkshake?"

"Why do you keep bringing that up?"

"Because it's so amazing. Every bite is an explosion of strawberry shortcake goodness."

"Oh, all right."

Harry watched with amusement as Hollen took a sip and then looked faintly surprised at how good it was. "You can have the rest, if you want," Harry told him with a grin. "Provided I can have some of your tea. That's peach, isn't it?"

"Yes." Hollen considered him. "Dinners must be interesting at your house."

"At home everyone pretty much has the same choices, you know. But yeah, when we go out to eat and there're lots of different things on the table, I do tend to try a little bit of everything before the meal's over." Harry grinned. "I'm too adorable to resist, you see."

Hollen rolled his eyes.

"Come on, eat some salad," Harry gave him a little nudge. "Have a few bites. Go on."

"Will you stop nagging if I do?"

"Yes."

"All right, fine." Hollen picked up the fork.

Harry ignored him as he set about twirling more noodles onto his fork, trying to keep them there without the use of magic. Only once he succeeded did he notice that Hollen had actually begun to eat and Harry hid a smile behind his napkin.

"I can tell you're smiling at me," Hollen muttered. "This isn't because of you. My appetite just happened to mysteriously reappear."

"If you say so."

"I do."

"Suit yourself."

"I will."

"Great."

Hollen gave Harry a faint smile. "Fine."

Harry set to finishing the rest of his food with a satisfied hum.

"Why don't you take the plates over to the bin and then talk to your PDs while I finish up the salad?" Hollen asked once Harry had finished. "And if you're not allowed-"

"I will be."

"You're a confident little scamp, that's for sure."

"Ooh, I don't think I've ever been called a scamp before. Which, on reflection, is rather an oversight on Suntree's part," he mused. "I'll have to add that to my book."

"You have a book?"

Harry gave him a mysterious smile. "One of the eternal questions. Right up there with 'how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?'."

"'The world may never know'," Hollen said dryly.

"Now eat. I'll be back quick as a flash." Harry made sure all of his dishes were on his tray and stood to take it over to one of the bins. He double checked to make sure he hadn't left anything important on the tray before setting it down in the green bin. As soon as his hands were clear, the tray and its contents disappeared with a little pop.

Harry lingered there a moment before turning and making his way back to Al and Cam's table. Their conversation trailed off as Harry approached, both looking up with varying degrees of wariness as he stopped beside the table, hands in his pockets.

"All done?" Al asked after a moment.

"Not quite. Seeing as how I'm not actually here to do anything-"

"No, you had to come deliver some important thank you notes," Al said. "Because of the party. And you needed to fill out some sort of paperwork now that you're twelve, to officially become a consultant with the pay and benefits and all of that. That's what Tony said."

"Yeah. I did all of that a couple of weeks ago. Well, the thank you notes I obviously didn't do a couple of weeks ago, but they weren't important enough warrant me visiting here today. Tony was just getting me the hell out of the house, really."

"Oh."

"Why did he…?" Cam trailed off.

"Everyone is out of their mind trying to get me ready to go off to school. You've just missed it. Well, it's really just Suntree, Kathy and Mom. Well, it's really just Suntree and Kathy."

"Sunny's going out of his mind?" Cam asked doubtfully.

"How can you go out of something you don't have to begin with?" Al muttered.

"I heard that. But no, he's not. He's not, but Kathy, like, suddenly realized that we were planning the big to school thing without her and she started to go over everything, like Sunny would miss something or something. It was really weird. But that's not the point. The point is that I don't actually have anything I'm doing here today, so I've asked Hollen if he'd like to watch a movie in his office and he agreed."

"I see," Cam said slowly.

"So that's what I'll be doing."

Al and Cam exchanged an odd look that Harry couldn't read. "So you'll be watching a movie with him…" Cam said at last. "How long will you be?"

"It's a movie," Harry pointed out. "It'll be probably a couple of hours or something. Because it's a movie."

"Well. Have a good time with that, I guess." Cam coughed. "I mean, yeah… have a good time."

"I'm not going to yell at you again," Harry said dryly. "I imagine I said more than enough the first time."

"More than enough," Al agreed.

"But guys, come on, try to at least be civil. I know he makes it hard sometimes. Trust me; I really do know that he makes it really hard sometimes. But when he's not being an ass, he's actually kind of likeable. And either way, he's still a person and he honestly actually does have feelings."

"We are allowed to dislike someone," Al pointed out.

"You totally are, yeah. But I seriously think you might like him if you just looked past the stories and legend and Death-Wish crap and his bad attitude and all of that crap. He's an Auror, just like you. And he's my friend, just like you. Just like both of you. And I'm not asking you to love him or apologize to him or anything, I'm just saying… think about how you'd feel in his place before you be weird about him."

Cam fidgeted. Al remained silent, expression unreadable.

"Having family can be so exasperating," Harry muttered. "Come here, hugs." Harry gave them both quick hugs. "I'm still irritated with you, but I was maybe extra willing to snap at you about it. Not wrong, mind you, just extra snappy. But I'll see you two later."

"Be good," Cam told him.

"Yeah, be good," Al echoed. "Don't get into trouble."

"The same can be said for you two. Separately, of course." With another roll of his eyes, Harry made his way back to Hollen's table. Hollen seemed to be staring into the depths of the milkshake he was finishing, but Harry could feel the intensity of his stare, even if he couldn't see Hollen's eyes.

"So, I was thinking," Harry said as soon as he was near enough to speak conversationally, "that maybe we should watch the first movie again? It's been more than a few months since we last saw it together. I know I fell asleep, so I don't know how much you saw or remember from it. But if you remember it, we can just watch the second movie, or we could always just watch something else entirely."

"It doesn't matter to me. We can watch the first one again."

"Cool beans."

"And how, pray tell, are beans cool?"

"Dude, you've seriously never heard the phrase cool beans?"

"I was born in 1947," Hollen said dryly. "I'm familiar with the phrase 'cool beans' and have been for many years."

"Good. I was worried you were a pod person or something."

"And just what do you know about pod people?" Hollen asked, brows going up a little.

"Uh, Al didn't at all show me the movie one night, not at all."

"Right."

"Don't tell Mom; she doesn't know. Mom gets kind of weird about things she thinks might scare me." He rolled his eyes.

"Right. Don't tell your mother."

"So we'll watch the first Turtles movie." Hollen eyed him. "Aren't you a little old for Turtles?"

"You seriously have the movies in your office and you ask me that?"

Hollen opened his mouth and then closed it. "Do you still want pickles?"

"What?" Harry grinned. "Seriously?"

"No, I lie."

"You'll be my hero if you get me pickles."

Hollen paused in standing up to consider that. "You come pretty cheap."

"I amend – you'll be my hero for as long as the pickles last if you get me pickles."

"Then I'll get you pickles."

"Now that's awesome."

"Everything's always awesome in your world." Hollen rolled his eyes. "Take care of the dishes for me and I'll get you some pickles."

"Great!" Harry grabbed the tray from the table and practically skipped to the nearest green bin, then waited outside of the restaurant Hollen had ducked into.

"You're quite the energetic thing," Hollen observed as he came out, holding a paper bag.

"Yes, well, I'm twelve."

"And soon you'll be thirteen and you won't be able to fall back on being twelve any more and what will you do then?"

"I'll say I'm thirteen. Obviously."

"Obviously," Hollen said dryly. "And when saying that you're a certain age no longer works?"

"Never fear, I'll have a back up by then."

"I'm sure you will." Hollen ruffled Harry's hair and handed him the bag. "And now I'm your hero."

"Absolutely."

"Let's go." Hollen made his way to the doors leading out of the cafeteria. Harry lingered a moment to peek inside the bag and he saw that Hollen had managed to get him a small paper box presumably filled with pickles. "Are you coming?" Hollen called from the door.

"Yep!" Harry hurried to catch up, though by the time he'd reached the doors, Hollen had already gone through them and was heading down the hallway. Harry hurried to catch him, then grabbed his hand, forcing Hollen to slow down or send them tumbling to the floor.

"Can I help you?"

"You are walking entirely too fast," Harry informed him, setting a more comfortable pace. "I am not a bunny rabbit or something else; therefore, I'm not letting go of you until you learn how to walk with people shorter than you."

"And if I forcibly remove my hand from yours?"

Harry fixed him with a wide-eyed look as he gripped Hollen's wrist with his other hand, still clutching the bag of pickles. "You wouldn't do that to me, would you? Innocent little Jamie?"

Hollen's eyes narrowed. "The cute and innocent act doesn't work on me."

"But I am cute and innocent," Harry protested. "Well, cute. And mostly innocent. Okay, fine, but definitely cute."

"Definitely something," Hollen muttered.

"Definitely," Harry agreed. "And here's the elevator that does more than elevate." He tugged Hollen forward the last few feet, earning a low grumble from Hollen, and jabbed the elevator button.

The doors opened within seconds and Harry stepped back as the passengers in the car got off, all three seeming to unconsciously put more space between themselves and Hollen, though two lingered long enough to give Harry nods.

"Hey, JP."

"Good birthday party?"

Harry nodded. "Hi yourself and great. You two have a good day," Harry called after them, moving into the elevator. Hollen followed at a more sedate pace, though the dignity of it was lost when Harry grabbed his wrist and pulled him against the elevator wall.

"What are you doing now?"

"Shh." Harry cocked his head to the side as he reached out to hold down the 'open doors' button. He couldn't hear anything or see anything, but there was a tingling mass of magic coming their way that was unusual enough to grab his attention through his shields. "I think something…" he trailed off as a man came around the corner and headed straight for the elevator, pushing a rolling cart covered in boxes that just hummed of magic.

"Hold the- thanks!" He pushed the cart into the elevator with care. "Phew. I heard the elevator doors open as I approached the corner, but I thought for sure I wasn't going to make it."

"I heard the cart and thought maybe someone was coming for the elevator." Harry pulled his hand away from the 'open doors' button. "What floor and section?"

"Right two, up three." The man tried to rub his cheek against his shoulder, not letting go of the cart.

"Up, huh?" Harry pushed the buttons. "Communications Department?"

"That'd be the place." He frowned and pushed the cart a little; it made no noise. "How'd you hear the cart? It's silenced."

"Oh? Well, I must have heard you huffing and puffing along then."

He shrugged. "How was the birthday?"

"Big and long and full of cake and presents, even though I told people not to bring me presents. Oh, and there were a few side dishes of drama. And someone ate all of the kiwi. We're still trying to figure out how that happened." Harry slanted a grin at Hollen and then looked back to the man. "And would you believe that someone gave me a hundred slap bracelets?"

Hollen's eyes narrowed slightly as the man laughed. "Those bracelets you slap onto your arm? My daughter loves those things. What on earth are you going to do with a hundred of those?"

"They're actually likely going to be one of the best, albeit one of the strangest, gifts I've gotten. I've got a plan to charm them with action-triggered shields of various kinds, as sturdy as I can make them, and the action will be the slap." Harry grinned. "Just slap the bracelet on and it's an instant shield."

The man grinned. "That sounds pretty darn handy. I guess whoever gave you those did get you a pretty good present."

"Yeah, he really did," Harry agreed, eyeing the nondescript boxes stacked up on the cart. "What'cha got there, Franko?"

"Damned sensitive equipment is what I've got here," he sighed. "It can't be moved magically, so here I am, lugging carts about on my day off. I can't say much more than that."

"Youch. Really?"

"Well, I took the week off, so it's one of my days off, but it's still a day off. It all came in today, instead of next week like it was supposed to, and of course this stuff can't sit and wait a week, I've got to deliver it and set it up today. So here I am."

"It sounds like a conspiracy to me."

"I'm with you on that."

"Oh, hey, Holly, this is Franko- er, Frank. Frank, this is Hollen. I mean, unless you two know each other, but since you haven't said hello, I'm betting not."

Frank cleared his throat. "No, not really. I mean, I've seen you around the halls and stuff, and I fixed your printer last year, but we've never really-"

"I remember. The printer is still working great," Hollen offered. "You did a good job."

The man grinned. "Thanks. So how ya doing?"

Hollen glanced over at Harry, and then his brows went up when he seemed to realize that Frank was talking to him. "Oh, I'm, you know, working. Fine." Hollen was quiet a moment, then gave a small start of realization. "And you?"

"Doing well. I'm working my tail off, but that's nothing new. I'm sure you know how that is. And I'd offer to shake your hand, but I've got to keep the cart balanced."

"Quite."

Frank looked to Harry. "Hey, JP, you start school next week, don't you?"

"Yep," Harry told him cheerfully. "And then I'll be busy, busy and won't be around as much."

"That's school." He tried to rub his cheek against his shoulder again. "That's why I took the week off, actually. I wanted to spend some time with the kids before they went back to school. Didn't quite work out the way I planned, but I guess it's just the one day. And on account of it being a personal day I'm working, that's overtime, so I guess that's not that bad."

"Take what you can get," Harry agreed.

"So what are you doing around here today?" Frank asked curiously.

"Just hanging out since I'll be busy, busy once school starts. Holly and I are going to watch a movie in his office. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. Holly owns it so that makes him pretty cool," Harry grinned.

"You would find that cool," Frank said dryly.

Harry sniffed. "What can I say? I have refined taste."

The elevator announced their arrival to Frank's destination.

"Hey, JP, can you-?"

"I've got the doors." Harry pushed the 'doors open' button, pressing back against the wall.

With care, Frank eased the cart out of the elevator backwards, only looking away from his task once he was well clear of the doors. "You two have fun," he chuckled. "And hey, Hollen, this kid could sell sand on a beach if he's got a mind to do it; you should keep an eye on him."

"Come on, Franko, I'm totally into real estate," Harry protested. "Speaking of, there's this bridge-"

"Hah!"

The doors slid closed.

"As an officer of the law I feel it my duty to ask if you're properly licensed to be selling bridges," Hollen said dryly.

"Oh, absolutely, officer." Harry pushed the right buttons to take them back down to Hollen's office.

Hollen rolled his eyes. "Believe it or not, I figured out pretty quickly that I ought to keep my eye on you."

"I bet you did."

"Believe me, I did."

Harry preened.

"Yeah, you would be proud of that."

"You bet."

"Definitely keeping my eye on you," Hollen murmured.

"You do that."

Hollen rolled his eyes and leaned back against the elevator wall. They'd passed two floors when Hollen spoke. "You seem to know just about everyone."

"Plenty of people," Harry agreed. "Though not quite everyone, just about or otherwise. I'm not Suntree."

"How do you know Frank?"

"Same way you do. He came by Tony's office one day to fix something while I was there and we started chatting and he showed me how to fix some of the magical equipment. I occasionally drop by the SSD."

"SSD?"

Harry looked around at Hollen, brows raised. "Yeah… The Service and Systems Department? They keep this place running?"

"Right, yes, the SSD."

"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

"I know it by the Service Department."

Harry considered him, and then nodded. "All right."

"So your PDs will let you talk to just about anyone but me."

Harry snorted. "Including you, obviously, or we wouldn't be talking now. And why not? I might learn something interesting." He opened the pickle bag and pulled out the box to peer inside. It was filled to the max with pickle spears. "How'd you swing this?"

"I went in, spoke to the head elf and requested a box full of pickles. Elves are generally more than happy to accommodate."

"Go you. I've never thought to do that. Requesting more with a meal, sure thing, but just on their own, never thought of it. How much was it, out of curiosity?"

Hollen's mouth twitched. "Pella was only too happy to give them to me when she heard they were for you." He raised a brow slightly. "Because you know everyone."

"Pella's such a sweetie," Harry laughed, putting the box back in the bag. "And she's got her eye on Matten; he's one of the waiter elves at A Taste of Italy. I think he likes her, too, but he's a little shyer. It's pretty sweet."

"Is there anything you don't know?" Hollen asked. "Really? And anyone you haven't met?"

"I haven't met the President," Harry grinned.

"Perhaps I should arrange that," Hollen muttered.

"You've met the President of the Magical United States?"

"I've _been_ the President of the Magical United States," Hollen snorted. "Aurors with morphing ability act as body doubles when he has to make an appearance in a high risk situation."

"Way cool…"

The elevator chimed their arrival and the doors slid open.

"Come along now," Hollen said, giving Harry a nudge into the hallway. Harry snagged his hand before Hollen could get ahead of him. "So, Jamie, I can't help but be curious…"

"Intriguing lead in. Yes?"

"How did you know Frank was going to be coming around the corner with the cart?"

"The cart? Him huffing along?"

"Not buying it."

"Um. It's classified?"

Hollen gave him a look. "More classified than the things I already know?"

"Declassified hallways?"

"Just what the hell does that mean?"

"It means I'll tell you when we get to your office because your office has more warding than the hallways."

"Fair enough."

A turn and several doors later Hollen stopped and tapped lightly on his office door. The door opened after a moment and Harry slipped under Hollen's arm and darted inside, only to stop short a few feet into the office, looking around in surprise. "Wow. You finally redecorated. After months and months of nothing."

"I did."

Harry looked around slowly. Nearly everything in the office was different. The carpet had been replaced with something thicker and the color of deep red wine, and the walls had been sponged plum with red undertones. The furniture had been replaced with heavier, sturdier versions. The desk was stout cherry wood and gracefully showing age and the coffee table and end tables were the same. The chairs and couch had been replaced by a large sofa and a single, overstuffed chair. They had Harry's rapt attention. "Is that red leather?" he breathed.

"That it is."

"I love leather…" Harry lost no time in sprawling out on the sofa, the bag of pickles dropped unceremoniously on the coffee table as he pressed his face against the leather and breathed in its scent.

"Yes, you do seem to love leather," Hollen snorted from somewhere to his right.

"It's heavenly." He snuggled into it. "You can get the Turtles. I'm just going to lay here and breathe."

"You mean you actually want me to get the Turtles? Go fetch them from the sewer? Because I may be made of awesome, but I'm not sure I could arrange that on such short notice, not even for you."

"Silly Holly. Even if you could get the Turtles, I bet you'd just keep them for yourself."

"Not likely. They're teenagers."

"They're mutant turtles. Ninja mutant turtles. Teenage or not, they can't exactly be governed by human laws. And besides, teenager can mean a lot."

"Hm. You might have a point."

Harry rested his cheek against the cool leather to grin at Hollen. "Maybe I could have one of them at least?"

"Should I ever come into the possession of mutant turtles with ninja abilities, we will have that discussion."

"If you insist."

"And by all means," Hollen added dryly, "feel free to make yourself comfortable."

"Don't worry, I have." Harry watched Hollen open the doors of the cherry cabinet, revealing a television and a vertical movie rack. Harry sat up in surprise. "Dude, you got a seriously bigger TV, too. You sure don't do things by halves, do you?"

"Life's too short."

"I must remember that."

Hollen aimed a look over his shoulder. "That argument won't let you eat dessert before dinner or something equally ridiculous. And if you do try to use that argument, don't bring me into your mad plans. I will not have a woman show up at my door with a spoon just because I bought myself a larger TV and that somehow made you feel like you were entitled to have sugar before protein."

"You, not cool."

"If you want cool, move out of the desert. I hear the arctic is pretty cool."

Harry rolled his eyes. "You amuse me. Even if you know nothing about me. Whatever happened to being super observant, huh? You've complained often enough about my love of broccoli and carrots and other good for you things that you ought to know I'm not the dessert before dinner type."

"I'm just covering my bases."

"Your ass, more like it," Harry snorted.

"Your ass needs to move." Hollen put the movie in and then came to stand next to the couch, eyeing him. "For such a short person, you take up an awful lot of that couch."

"First of all, I'm tall for my age, so I'm only short in comparison to an adult. Second of all, I'm lying down, so of course I'm taking up an awful lot of the couch. Third of all, I won't be short forever and one day I'll probably be as tall as you."

"I'm a morpher. I can always be taller than you."

"Cheater." Harry sat up, swinging his legs around.

"Good."

"What? No 'thank you'?" Harry toppled sideways and sprawled again just as Hollen went to sit. Hollen gave him a narrow-eyed look. Harry sprawled even more.

"Fine. Thank you."

"I suppose it'll have to do." Harry pushed himself up and gave the couch a pat. "Sit, sit."

Hollen eyed him almost suspiciously.

"I'm not going to turn into a ravenous monster and attack you and eat your soul or something," Harry snorted. "Sit."

"You are entirely too bossy," Hollen informed him, sitting nonetheless.

"I prefer confident." Harry leaned forward to snag the bag of pickles and opened them gleefully. "Mm, pickle-y goodness."

"Strange child."

"Could be," Harry agreed amiably as he picked out several pickles to munch on, closing the box to save the rest for later.

"I will curse you if you get pickle juice on my couch."

"I laugh scornfully in your general direction for even thinking I'd be sloppy enough to get pickle juice on something, let alone leather."

Hollen stared at him.

"What?"

"I'm waiting to hear scornful laughter."

"I don't have to laugh scornfully. I told you that I was laughing scornfully. That's all the effort I need to put into it."

Hollen rolled his eyes and slouched, kicking off his shoes and putting his blue socked feet up on the edge of the coffee table. Harry followed his lead, wriggling his toes in his Snitch covered socks as he munched on pickles.

"That's all you're going to eat?" Hollen asked after Harry had finished them and didn't move to get any more.

"You don't want your pickle hero status to last longer?"

"Carry on then."

Harry sniggered, glancing over at Hollen's slouched form. On a whim he wriggled over to lean against Hollen's side.

Hollen stiffened slightly for several moments before slowly relaxing. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Getting comfy."

"On me."

"You're warm."

"You're cold?"

"One doesn't have to be cold to like being warm, you know. Just so long as you're not actually hot, then warm is almost always nice."

"I see."

"And you don't have a blanket, do you? See, I thought not."

"In fact, I don't. But there is such a thing as a warming charm. It's called magic. And there's also such a thing called Transfiguration. Making a temporary blanket from some paper would be quite easy." Hollen snorted. "You could probably do it in your sleep."

"Quiet. What a silly thing to do. Bringing logic into this. This isn't logical, this is about comfy warm."

Hollen snorted. "Whatever. And-"

"Shh! Movie."

"Hey, I don't think so," Hollen summoned the remote and paused the movie. "Cart, elevator, explain."

Harry rolled his eyes, tipping his head back to look at Hollen. "You seriously haven't worked it out?"

"Don't push it."

"You know that I can sense magic to a degree, being all Maguristy and stuff, so that's what I did. I do have mind shields up so that I'm not always sensing magic, but if something's unusual enough or unexpected or there's enough magic in a small space, then it catches my attention. The stuff on the cart caught my attention, I could tell it was moving in our direction, so I put two and two together and came up with something magical being moved towards the elevators and I was right. Ta da."

Hollen rolled his eyes. "Sometimes things aren't as obvious as you think they are." He un-paused the movie.

Harry grinned to himself as he sprawled more comfortably against Hollen's side. Hollen's chaotic magic was quieter today and getting slowly more settled where Harry was leaning into him, but it wasn't long before the little prickles and shifts and twitches of the magic pressing against his, doing the magical equivalent of poking and prodding at him, started to become distracting. Harry snagged Hollen's hand, pulling Hollen's arm around him snugly and clasping the hand in both of his, letting the skin to skin contact quicken the calming process.

"Why do you do that?" Hollen asked after a few minutes, sounding a little puzzled.

"Hm?

"Why do you do that?" Hollen repeated. "Why are you always touching."

"I'm a touchy kind of person. My family is, too." Harry hummed thoughtfully. "And the werewolves, of course. I don't know if you've ever been around social werewolves, but they're constantly touching. Hugs are always guaranteed. Anyway, touch is nice." Harry gave Hollen's hand a little pet. "And really, it's just easier to give in to me," he finished cheerfully. "I usually win."

Hollen snorted but didn't pull his hand away. Harry smiled a little.

As the movie played, Hollen began to relax a little more as his magic settled. It still felt chaotic against Harry's own, but the chaos was more peaceful, the prickles and pokes more like curious little nudges. Through the contact, Harry realized that whatever it was in the office that was releasing the soothing, calming magic into the room was keyed specifically to Hollen's magic and was trying to do the same thing Harry's magic was doing. Curiously, Harry opened his shields enough to find the source; he brushed a query against the source when he found it and was surprised that he recognized the lingering traces of the caster's magic to be Healer Zohler's.

"You seem distracted," Hollen remarked, breaking Harry's concentration.

"What? Oh, no. I just zoned out."

Hollen snorted. "Should I rewind?"

"Nah, I didn't miss much."

"This was your idea, kid."

"Hush you."

Hollen made a huff of a noise.

Harry gave his hand another little pet and focused on ignoring the feel of Hollen's magic in favor of watching the movie. Despite his efforts, he was still aware of the shifting changes as Hollen's magic calmed, making Hollen relax and calm, prompting his magic to relax and calm. By the end of the movie, the prickles and pokes and needling of Hollen's magic was the most passive Harry had ever noticed, even if there were lingering areas of strain and tension.

"Hey, kid," Hollen murmured, drawing Harry's attention away from the feel of magic and back to the room. On the screen, the movie was wrapping up.

"Yeah?"

"Are you doing something?"

"Just watching the movie. You know, Turtles playing on the TV. The same thing I've been doing since the movie started."

Hollen flexed his fingers a little. "You're doing something with your magic, though. I can feel something…"

"I haven't really done anything, no," Harry said after a moment. "I've just been trying to watch the green heroes doing green hero things."

There was a stretching, thoughtful silence before Hollen gripped Harry's hand in his a little tightly. "What is this?"

"My hand…? Your hand? Holding hands? Skin? There're a lot of possibilities…" Harry trailed off at Hollen's low, impatient noise.

"Jamie." His voice hardened a little. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just sitting here-"

"Jamie."

"I am just sitting here," Harry put in firmly. "And _my magic_ is doing what my magic does."

"Explain."

Harry let out heavy breath and played absently with Hollen's fingers as he considered how much he could say. "I don't sense magic like a Magurist," he said at last. "Or, well, it's more that I sense magic beyond what a Magurist senses, or maybe more that my Magurist ability to sense and interact with magic is much more finely tuned. I'm aware of the world around me like a Magurist, aware of the atmospheric magic, aware of all of that, but my magic doesn't just sit back passively…"

"Keep going," Hollen prompted quietly, tone reserved.

"All right, you see, the healers tell me that I have very aggressively stable magic. Lately they've started to settle on the idea that maybe my magic is trying to compensate for some sort of imbalance it suffered when I was younger, and whatever happened, my magic tried so hard to recover that it's still on guard against becoming imbalanced again, hence aggressively stable. But yeah, that's besides the point…"

"I'm still listening."

"Okay, right. So, my magic is aggressively stable, but it's also capable of reaching out and sensing the environment from the Magurist sort of thing, and what that amounts to is my magic picking up when less stable magic is within its sense range thing. And, well, we'd be lying if we said your magic was stable…"

"I'm aware," Hollen said a little dryly.

"So my magic could sense that your magic isn't as stable and it… The healers like to say that my magic starts to bully weaker and less stable magic into shaping up." Harry's couldn't help but grin a little, glancing over at Hollen. "I prefer to think of it as my magic is acting like a good role model. Though I hate to admit it, I think that the healers are probably a little closer to the truth on this one."

"So… you have the ability to stabilize magic?"

"Generally speaking, yes."

"I see…"

Harry nodded slowly, looking from Hollen, back to the television, and trying his best not to pay too much attention to Hollen's magic lest he somehow influence it and influence Hollen's reaction.

"So it's basically magic manipulation? It's basically healing magic itself? That's what you've been doing all this time we've been sitting here watching green ninjas?"

"Yes, well, yes, it is, but… Yes, it's magic manipulation. But I haven't actually been doing it myself, my magic has just sort of been doing it…"

"Your magic, all on its own, has been casually doing something that's not only a rare ability among healers, but an ability that requires the healer to go into a trance?"

"Sheesh, when you say it like that, it makes me sound special or something."

Hollen snorted, then gave a single, aborted snicker, the slow growing tension melting away as he slumped a little, shaking his head. "You know, I've never actually had much luck with that."

"With what?"

"With all of that magic manipulation healing stuff. I always thought it required a trance, though."

"Yeah, well, so did the healers. They didn't know how to label it until recently when they realized that the shoe's still a shoe, even if it's sparkly and shaped like a duck."

Hollen looked down at him. "What? No, never mind, don't answer that. You might actually have an answer." Hollen tipped his head back against the top of the couch, an oddly thoughtful look on his face. "Either way, I've never had much luck with that." His eyes flicked to the bookcase behind his desk, lingering on a set of gargoyle bookends. "The healer I've always visited for that did his best with charming my office with relaxing magic."

"Why?"

Hollen picked up the television remote with his free hand but did nothing with it. "Because an inanimate source is safest."

"Why?"

"Your magic is aggressively stable," Hollen said dryly, "and mine is aggressively unstable. The word the healers use politely is 'forceful'. For its reasons, my magic has always reacted very strongly to any sort of outside magic trying to force change on it, no matter how good the intention behind the change." He made a noise that seemed half snort and half growl, full of contempt and more bitter things Harry had no idea how to label. "Especially when there's some sort of imagined good intention behind the change," he muttered.

"Reacted very strongly?" Harry prompted.

"Violently," Hollen answered a little shortly. "Violence and chaos. The healers have long since stopped trying to work with my magic directly unless there's a dire need. The smallest touch of someone else's magic intruding on my own can cause a violent reaction I can't control and it's entirely too possible that the result would be permanently harmful to everyone involved. Especially the healer."

"Oh…"

"So…" Hollen said quietly, "as… relaxing as that may feel, I suggest you keep your magic to yourself. And if you can't keep your magic to yourself…" Hollen's voice dropped to a murmur, "I suggest you keep your distance. I'd rather not be responsible for permanently damaging Harry Potter in some way."

Harry reached out with his magic cautiously, brushing against Hollen's. The reaction wasn't violent or aggressive in the slightest; in fact, if Harry had to describe the reaction, he would have said Hollen's magic was quietly purring. "Holly, you realize that my magic has been doing its magic thing for almost two hours now?" Harry tipped his head back to look at him. "It's not like your magic is going to suddenly notice me and then freak out if it didn't before now."

"Still-"

"I've also got the Magurist thing going on, Holly," Harry interrupted. "Strong Magurist with a natural inclination toward magic? Ring any bells? Healers have to go into trances to do this magical manipulation and that focuses them on their magic and yours, cutting them off from other magic. I don't have to go into a trance so I'm not… your magic isn't being cornered by mine, no matter how much mine is nudging it to behave better."

Hollen was quiet, watching the credits roll across the television. "Can you actually sense my magic?" he finally asked. "Or is it just an involuntary reaction you know is happening, but there're no details that you can pick up?"

"I can sense it."

"And you can tell what my magic is like?" he asked after a long pause.

"The condition it's in, yes."

"And…" Hollen shifted away a fraction, "you've been trained in reading the-"

"Yes," Harry interrupted quietly. "And no. I've been learning how to read things on the surface of the magical aura and I can tell that you've got a hell of a lot of damage there, but I can't tell what caused it. It seems like it's far reaching, not just things in your recent history; that I can sort of pick up. But at the same time, you are Death-Wish Davish and I have no idea how much damage or stress you've caused just from the things you do in work."

Hollen made a vague noise, tensing slightly.

"I can tell that you've had a hell of a lot of trauma in your life," Harry said with a sigh. "Physical, emotional, mental, magical, all of the stress patterns are there. But I've never studied anyone who's… gone through the things you've gone through, what happened when you were caught years ago, the… mental breakdown afterward, the stress at everyone's reaction… So I have no idea if I'm seeing something a decade old or decades old or… It's there, but I don't know why, basically. If that's what concerns you."

Hollen let out a slow breath. "My magic fractured," he said at last.

"I can see that, yes."

"No. I mean, my magic fractured. When I was younger. Sixteen. It's never going to be normal, it'll never recover properly, it'll never actually be stable."

"What happened?" Harry asked quietly.

"I don't think…"

Harry opened his mouth to reassure, but something about Hollen's twitching, contracting magic kept him silent and waiting.

"Have you heard of… conversion therapy?"

"I… I don't know. It kind of sounds familiar."

"It's where some people think they can cure others of being gay with a variety of rather unpleasant therapy techniques."

"Oh…"

"Now imagine… there being a version of it aimed at curing people who have magic…"

Harry swallowed hard.

"Who also happens to be gay. In the South."

Harry made a low unhappy noise and shifted to hug Hollen before he could stop himself. Hollen's tensing and shifting away stopped him quickly enough, though, and he silently fought to keep Hollen's magic from shrinking in on itself similarly.

"I'm fine, kid," Hollen said after several moments.

"You're not fine," Harry muttered.

"No, I'm not. But I'm me." Hollen gave him a twist of a smile. "And one of your PDs ought to be here soon." He shifted, trying to sit up more. "I imagine they've been staring at their watches just waiting for the second they can come rescue you."

"Holly-"

"Maybe you ought to heed their advice about-"

"Shut up."

Hollen looked around in surprise.

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry about what happened. I'm sorry that it happened." Harry hugged him tightly, ignoring the unstable magic and Hollen stiffening at the contact. "And I can sense your magic well enough to know that it's not fighting my magic and my magic is actually helping, just a little, so I think you should just relax and let it."

"I don't even know you, kid," Hollen muttered, voice low and rough. "You're just this kid-"

"Bullshit."

"Just this mouthy, pushy, touchy-feely, irritating-"

"And you're a mean bastard and I don't care. It doesn't matter."

"I don't know you."

"Fine." Harry sat back and fixed Hollen with a determined look. "Look at me."

Hollen's almost black eyes skipped over his face, avoiding his eyes.

"Come on, look at me." Harry dropped a hand to Hollen's shoulder, fingers digging into the shirt. "Look at me."

After a handful of seconds that felt like they'd stretched into minutes, Hollen's eyes skipped over his face again, then focused on him properly, expression shuttered and wary as he looked at a point next to Harry's temple. His magic was alternating between pressing close and drawing back.

"Look at me." Harry turned his head, catching Hollen's eyes. "You're a stubborn man, you know that?"

Hollen snorted.

"But I like you anyway."

"You don't even know me."

"You're written all over your magical aura. I don't know what it all means exactly, but I know you well enough."

"Some of us aren't so lucky."

"Then look at me. I should think Legilimency stands in well enough."

Hollen's eyes narrowed. "Legilimency?"

"You heard me."

"Your PDs will have hysterics."

"You should be all for this idea, then."

"You don't know what you're asking."

"Do you know Charles Hanter?"

Hollen made a derisive noise, looking away. "So?"

"He's says my Occlumency rates as a two point five right now on the five point system, but my Legilimency is a three point seven. I know what I'm talking about."

"Of course you do. You know everything."

Harry caught his eye again. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Hollen's eyes narrowed, taking on an almost dangerous glint. "And what's that?"

"The easy way is you give in to the inevitable."

"And the hard way?"

"I'll be the biggest pain in the ass you've ever seen until you give in to the inevitable. You probably won't crack today, you're made of pretty stern stuff, but one day you will and then you'll look back and think 'Oz damn it, I could have saved myself a hell of a lot of trouble if I'd just given in, way back when'."

"I could always just inform one of your PDs about this mad stunt of yours and we'd see how long you keep bugging me about it."

"Holly… I'd have to get some crazy serious revenge on you if you ever did that, and I'm scary when I'm nice so just imagine me when I'm focused on some crazy serious revenge."

"…I'd rather not think about that."

"So I win?"

"You win." Hollen lifted a hand to turn Harry's face toward him, muttering, "You are one irritating skunk of a child."

Harry snickered. "Another one for my book."

"We'll just see if this book of yours is real."

Harry snickered again before sobering. "I won't take down all of my Occlumency shields, not the innermost barriers. I have a lot of secrets that aren't mine to share. That's only fair."

"So anything you don't want to share, you can just-"

"Don't make me hurt you."

"You better take your shields down or something before I give into this urge to rip them down with savage glee."

Harry concentrated, eyes half closing, as he opened his Occlumency shields. "It'd be harder than you think."

"With shields as weak as yours?" Hollen snorted.

"Yeah, but I pair Occlumency with Legilimency. If someone breaks through my shields, I go on the attack."

Hollen snorted again. "Figures. You really are a violent child."

"Violently full of love."

Hollen made a vague huffing noise as he made eye contact, brow furrowed slightly. He studied Harry's eyes for a long moment before Harry felt the heavy brush of Legilimency against his shields, probing along until it came to the gap and then through.

Hollen's Legilimency was heavier than the touch that Harry was used to feeling, but surprisingly unobtrusive, hovering without direction, like an intense but unfocused stare. Indecision lingered between them, Hollen's focus small and tightly wound.

Harry acted as the indecision stretched. He moved behind his inner Occlumency shields as he pulled from the wells of emotion and memory that which would intrigue Hollen the most – unpleasant things that Harry tried not to think about, doubts and uncertainties, lingering insecurities he tried to ignore. They were mostly attached to those first several years of his life that he only remembered in blurs of people he couldn't imagine calling family, blurs that had been pulled up during his meditations and mind arts exercises.

Harry felt Hollen's shock at the first brush of emotion and blurred memory, shock, surprise, disbelief, a spike of anger, back to shock, and then Hollen gently seized the vague memories to examine more closely before dipping down further, curious now that the first contact had been made. He pushed and sought for darker places – Harry's vague, fractured attack on Al when he was younger earned much study – and then he drifted away, touching emotions and memories as he came to them like a kid in a toy store. Harry kept himself safely behind his inner barriers, aware of the memories and feelings Hollen was studying, but removed from reliving and feeling them himself.

The questing Legilimency sought out fears and worries, failures and let-downs, one after the other, almost hungry for them, until Harry began to feel his defenses grow shaky under the onslaught of negative emotion. The feeling grew until Harry felt a strange physical shakiness, and then Hollen pulled away from those memories and emotions abruptly, seizing onto excitement and pleasure, delights and triumphs.

Those were plentiful and barely lingered on, just a tumbling rush of moments. They drew Hollen further in even as the unexpected weight and depth of them weakened his hold on his Occlumency shields and they cracked just enough for Harry to catch intriguing glimpses of long, dark hallways, dusty furniture and empty picture frames. And then Harry found himself spinning unanchored briefly as the cracks in Hollen's shields closed violently and Hollen began to dig earnestly for secrets.

Harry had been prepared for the forceful exploration. The secrets and mysteries Hollen's questing mental fingers sought unfolded like blooming flowers, startling against the stark desert of Harry's Occlumency shields. There was surprise again followed by trailing amazement, and then the smugness of Hollen knowing he'd guessed some of the secrets for himself. But Hollen was distracted enough with rooting out all of the little curious quirks and abilities that laced with his surprise, amazement and smugness, there was a sense of self-satisfaction in knowing that said more than words that Hollen was intensely uncomfortable with secrets he didn't know and couldn't guard against.

Hollen pulled away with an abruptness Harry was beginning to get used to, just hovering along the edges of Harry's outer Occlumency defenses, studying the structure with probing touches. Harry let him examine the outer structure, using the distraction to lightly brush his own Legilimency against Hollen's defenses curiously.

"You see magic in such a strange way," Hollen said, voice sounding far away and disconnected. "Color, emotion, feeling, taste…"

Harry made a vague noise as the voice pulled him from the stretching desert landscape of his own inner shields, through the part of his mind open to Hollen and littered with the discarded memories of Hollen's search, right against Hollen's own shields, vibrating with the emotions he was holding back from Harry.

"Not worth this trust," Hollen murmured, his emotions clear – hesitation, uncertainty, self-doubt, worry, wistful wonder. They began to send faint cracks through Hollen's shields, the emotions leaking through the connection, pulling Harry further from the safety of his own Occlumency shields and deeper into the tangle of Hollen's emotions.

"Must think so," Harry mumbled, trying to focus through the morass, voice feeling like it was coming from a deep well.

Hollen snorted. "Not good for you. Unstable. Should fear…"

Harry pulled behind his inner Occlumency shields and began to ease Hollen from his mind. "Caution, restraint, respect, no fear."

"Don't deserve this."

"Even you deserve to be cared about," Harry breathed.

A shudder of emotion rippled through Harry, emotion that became his if it hadn't been to start with, in a sudden upwelling that broke the Legilimency connection completely. Harry shook his head, eyes closed, feeling dazed as he pulled his outer Occlumency shields back into place properly. He felt even more dazed by the hyperawareness he had of his own emotions even as Hollen's magical aura boiled over with desperate, fervid feeling, pressing against Harry's weakened aura shields.

"You…" Hollen made a strangled noise.

Harry opened his eyes and gave a start. Hollen was looking at him with too-wide eyes, muddy brown, but they were unfocused and unseeing. Harry's eyes were drawn to Hollen's cheek, crisscrossed with fine burn lines, but he barely had a moment to consider the strange scars before Hollen pulled him into an awkward hug.

"Crazy child," Hollen mumbled roughly against Harry's hair.

Harry smiled a little. "Do you know me now?"

Hollen made a noise of agreement, sucking in a shaky breath.

Harry tightened his arms around Hollen, rubbing his back, though his hand slowed and stopped as it moved down, resting over a slightly raised, hard area beneath the shirt. His thumb brushed another hard line of scars just as Hollen, body and magic, violently trembled and rippled, and then there was nothing but smooth skin under the shirt where Harry's hand rested.

"You'll be the death of me," Hollen muttered, roughly pulling Harry onto his lap and crushing him in a hug, holding him so tightly that Hollen's slowly easing trembling could barely be felt.

Harry snorted a little against Hollen's shoulder. "You'll be the death of you."

"And you're trying to save me, are you?"

"Fault of mine, I guess."

"You're going to catch hell for doing that," Hollen murmured, the trembles fading entirely.

"They'll throw hell," Harry said a little dryly. "I have no intention of catching it."

Hollen snorted into his hair and shifted them into a more comfortable position, pulling Harry onto his lap more comfortably. Several strange moments passed between them before Hollen sighed, almost in wonder, voice soft, "So many little talents… Why?"

"I don't know. Magic likes me."

"No, why… Why did you let me see…?"

"You're going to laugh."

"I don't think I could right now," Hollen muttered, voice picking up strength as he began to sound a little more like himself. "But maybe some laughter would do me some good."

"Well… it seemed like the right thing to do at the time?"

Hollen snorted again. "You're going to get into so much trouble."

"Not if they don't know."

Hollen pulled back to look at him, frowning slightly. Harry studied Hollen; he looked the same as always – violet eyes, red hair, strong yet fey features – but there was something different in his eyes, something not quite as hard, something a little more open… Harry was distracted from his reflection as he realized that this couldn't be Hollen's actual appearance if it's what he'd shifted to after his emotional upheaval had forced him into another form.

"Jamie…" Hollen muttered with a deeper frown, startling Harry from his thoughts. "While I'm- you just can't- they just won't- they'll kill me when they find out that you did this and you didn't tell them."

"So you're just concerned about your own ass?" Harry laughed.

"Of course."

"Don't worry. I'll talk to who I need to talk to in good time; I will. But let me handle it."

"Well, I suppose you know your circus best," Hollen said with a sniff.

"Yes."

Hollen glanced away, around the office, then fixed Harry with a searching look. "Well, after that…"

"Yes?"

"I guess I ought…"

"Ought?"

"I've… been lying to you for a while."

"Have you?"

"I have."

"About?"

Hollen glanced away. "I keep saying that… I have no emotional attachment to you. But it appears… well, damned if I haven't developed it somewhere along the way and started to like you. Just a little."

Harry laughed. "Just a little?"

"Don't push your luck. I don't like most of the world."

Harry hummed a little. "I care about you, too."

A few moments passed and Hollen let out a slow breath, hugging him a little tighter.

"So, are we friends?" Harry teased gently.

Hollen snorted again.

"Don't be getting snot in my hair."

"Brat."

"That goes without saying. And you never answered me."

"I'm ages older than you, kid."

"So?"

"So, obviously we can't be friends."

"Feh. Sometimes Fate fucks it up and separates friends by several decades. So I say feh to Fate and stick my tongue out at it. And that's why we can be friends."

Hollen snorted again. "Really now?"

"Yes. So, friends?"

"You're never going to let this go, are you?"

"Nope. We've covered this before. I always win."

"Then I guess we're friends."

"Good."

"Going to be the strangest friendship ever recorded."

"Holly, welcome to my life."

"I think I just might be glad to be here."


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes. New scene division: (0)0(0)0(0)0(0)0(0)

Reviews: Pure Happiness

Betas: Hugs to them all. Hugs! And strawberries!

AN: Perhaps a larger time between this post and the next chapter since I am riding the inspiration train for further into the story and I don't want to derail the happiness that is progress and motivation. And I will be answering some questions asked, like the Legilimency rating thing, just as soon as my brain isn't wrapped around Goblet of Fire story beginning.

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 38

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Harry stopped in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"That's exactly what I'd like to know," Suntree muttered, fixing Hollen with a hard stare.

Hollen shrugged. "Do I look like I want to be here? Seriously? Surrounded by _children_?" His eyes moved over the group with Harry, lingering on Green as his lips curled up in faint sneer. "You brought the Southern."

With a frown, Harry reached out to rest his hand on Green's wand arm. "His name-"

"I don't care, kid," Green interrupted, shrugging off Harry's hand. "And I'm not going to pull my wand." He sent a humorless smile Hollen's way. "No skin off my back."

Hollen drew in a much-put-upon breath and lifted a hand to study his nails. "And that just proves my point, princess." He looked around the grounds with displeasure. "As if I would ever choose to be surrounded by children and ignorance when I ought to be having a very much deserved day off…"

"So what are you doing here?" Suntree repeated, his hard stare unwavering.

Languorously, giving Suntree a winning smile, Hollen reached into his jacket and pulled out an official looking envelope with a USAS seal on the front and handed it over.

Suntree took the envelope. As he flipped it open there was a flicker of light and a tingle that raced across Harry's magic, a security spell recognizing its recipient. Suntree pulled the single sheet of paper from the envelope and read it, mouth thinning a little. "Did he really?" Suntree asked flatly once he'd read it, spearing Hollen with a knowing look.

Hollen smiled innocently. "It's all right there." He waved to the letter. "It's not my place to argue with higher powers, Sunshine."

"But you're so good at it." Suntree slipped the paper back into the envelope and spirited the envelope away to a pocket of his own. "In fact, I think you might be incapable of being in the presence of the Director without starting an argument."

"Oh, I don't always argue with him," Hollen protested.

"Argue or in general be insolent, disagreeable and of bad disposition, then."

Hollen tutted. "Are you spying on the Director, Sunshine? I daresay the Internal Review Department would find that _most_ curious."

"The Director sent you here?" Harry asked quickly before Suntree could retort. "Why did he send you?"

"Actually, the Director sent me to do a security overview of the school in general, given how so many important students are attending this year. There's Carol Kingston's daughter, for one thing, and-"

Harry frowned thoughtfully, resettling the heavy bag slung over his shoulder. "Isn't that-?"

"The daughter of the investigative reporter who keeps making all of these terribly unhappy waves in many an important person's universe, yes," Hollen answered. "My, that woman knows how to make enemies-"

"You two would be perfect together then," Green muttered.

Hollen stopped, glancing around quizzically before he looked at Green with mock realization. "Oh, I should have realized it was the Southern. Southern-"

"His name's Green," Harry put in firmly.

Hollen hesitated a moment before smiling brightly. "One named after an additive primary color – yes, I'm actually speaking to you. I'm gay. I like men. A lot. That's the definition of gay when one's male as I am. And Carol is a woman's name. But it's okay, I understand that inbreeding can make-"

"Not amused," Harry interrupted shortly.

"Sorry, princess."

"And not sincere."

"I don't mean to upset you, princess."

"That's the only thing I believe thus far."

"Anyway," Hollen gestured around the campus with an expansive arm wave. "Her daughter is here and the President's son, of course, and then there's the oh-so-annoying little teenage movie star, Athena Knell. A word of advice, Jamie, don't get mixed up with her. She is a complete bi-"

"Jamie is the only student who's actually starting new this year," Suntree interrupted. "So a security overview because of the presence of so many important people-"

"I only do what I'm told, Sunshine. And I was told to come here. Clearly. But since I'm here, I'd thought I'd say hi!"

"Wonderful." Suntree gave him a smile that didn't even try to be sincere. "Hi. But we have to go. Have fun with your security overview."

"Oh, but I've just finished. I did most of it yesterday, anyway. So I'm free."

Suntree nodded. "Of course. How very fortunate."

"Incredibly. But fortune favors the fabulous!"

"Someone took an extra gay pill this morning," Green snorted.

Hollen fixed him with a pitying look. "I see the education in the South is only continuing its downward spiral-"

"Oh, don't even start-"

"But you can't be gay from a pill. And since you believe that-"

"I don't believe that, it was a-"

"Being gay is also not a choice, no matter what-"

"It's called sarcasm-"

"If you don't stop right this second I'm going to knock both of you out, lock you in a closet together and not let you out until you're making out," Harry interrupted loudly.

Green and Hollen both took a step back, varying degrees of horror on their faces.

"Good." Harry shifted the bag again. "Can we move on now? I'm not even all that excited by this walk-through tour of the campus thing considering I spent hours here over the summer, but the sooner we finish, the sooner I can find my room and the sooner I can stop carrying this heavy, magically sensitive bag that can't be levitated that I somehow ended up with despite there being big, strong PDs all around." Harry fixed Suntree and Green with completely unimpressed looks and was given the same in return. "So let's keep moving."

"Quite." Suntree speared Hollen with another look, unimpressed, but with an odd, thoughtful furrow to his brow. After a moment he turned to continue his trek across the grounds.

Hollen fell in step beside Harry with a bright smile. "Hello, Jamie. By the way, I completely approve and love, love, love those jeans."

Harry paused for a moment to glance down at his jeans. They were dark blue, almost black, with a gold dragon curling up one leg and breathing fire down the other. "They are pretty awesome." He gave Hollen an up and down look. "You look… normal."

"Yes, I know." Hollen sighed heavily, running a hand down his tan khakis, and then straightening his black, button down shirt. "Looking professional and all. Though, I have finished my security review…" He glanced up; a moment later his short dark brown hair turned black with blue highlights and grew down to his shoulders.

"Nice."

"I thought so, too, princess."

Harry snickered and continued walking. "And hello yourself." He glanced over. "I notice you didn't offer to carry my bag."

"You're a big, strapping young man. It would be an insult to your strength to even think about offering."

"So you're being lazy," Harry interpreted.

"Yes."

Harry rolled his eyes. "At least you're being honest. So, why are you really here?"

"The security overview! We did just talk about this."

"And there goes the honesty."

"So where's your mother?" Hollen asked, glancing around curiously like she'd suddenly materialize. "Really, princess, you brought the South but not your mom? That's not very sound thinking."

"Don't call- you know what, I'm not going to waste my breath. And Mom's here; she's just off on a parent tour of the campus with Al, learning the secrets of the universe or something. And Tony is… around here somewhere, doing Tony things."

"Oh sweet Oz, please tell me your mother isn't dating Al or something."

Harry stopped walking to stare at Hollen.

"What? He's on the parent tour with her."

"In a bodyguard and someone knowledgeable with the magical world capacity only," Harry said, resettling the bag as he started walking again. "And only that. And you are no longer allowed to insult Green's intelligence after that shining example of retarded."

"Seriously," Tony said, appearing beside Hollen.

Hollen's wand was in his hand and he'd stepped in front of Harry before Tony had gotten the word entirely out of his mouth.

Harry plucked the wand from Hollen's hand. "I'll take that, thank you."

"Hey, that's my-"

"And you'll get it back when you start behaving."

"But I just-"

"Yes, you did." Harry shifted to give Hollen a one armed hug. "And it was very sweet."

"Oh." Hollen dropped a hand to pat Harry's back even as his magic surged forward to prickle and poke and nudge Harry's with a feeling that was almost like puppyish delight. "Well, it's a trained response, you know," he said offhandedly.

Harry hummed agreement and stepped back, re-shouldered the bag, grinned at Tony's look of mouth twitching amusement and set off across the grounds to catch up with Suntree. Suntree was a fair distance ahead of them, but he'd stopped and was talking to a school official that Harry didn't recognize.

"Say, where's the princess?" Hollen asked, falling in step with Harry once again, exchanging a nod of greeting with Tony as Tony dropped back to walk next to Green.

"I thought I was the princess?" Harry asked with a laugh.

"Quite right and I'm terribly sorry. Where's the Barbie? The female who takes cruises when she should be at your birthday party."

"_Cam_ isn't here today. And neither is Kathy-"

"Small miracles," Tony murmured.

Harry glanced back. "Dude, did you and Kathy have some sort of fight or something? You seem more reproachful of her than I ever remember."

"No. Normal reproach. But since you don't seem all that thrilled with her these days yourself, I'm not going to spend the energy on smiling and nodding."

"I'm not thrilled with her because she thinks she's my mother a little bit more than I like and isn't used to me not listening to everything she says. What's your excuse?"

"She thinks she's my mother a little more than I like," Tony said with a grin.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, 'cat. She was my mentor when the USAS claimed me as their own when I was sixteen. Sometimes she forgets that it was quite a while ago."

"So, you didn't bring the females, but you brought the Southern?" Hollen put in, drawing Harry's attention back to him.

"At the very least could you call me a Georgian or something?" Green put in.

Hollen looked back, expression unreadable. "You're from Georgia?"

"Yes, I am."

"Where?"

"Fannin County," Green answered, brows raised.

"On the border of Tennessee?"

"Yes, actually," Green said with some surprise.

"Hm." Hollen shrugged dismissively and turned back to Harry. "Why aren't the females here?"

"Well, we hardly have to have everyone here just to get me settled in," Harry said, glancing over at Hollen with an odd look.

"And don't you have a secret service person, too?"

"You already seem to have all of the answers," Harry said dryly.

"Well, where is he?"

"He's off doing secret service stuff."

"Ah."

"Someone from the security office is free to give me that last security rundown," Suntree told them as soon as they were close enough. He raised a brow at Hollen. "Given that you're here for security, perhaps you'd like to come?"

"Oh, I think I'm okay for now," Hollen answered breezily. "I did my security thing. I'll just go with Jamie here."

"I thought as much." Suntree held out the bag he was carrying. Hollen accepted it slowly. "You behave," Suntree told Harry.

"As if I'm the one you need to worry about."

"And keep them in line."

"You might as well ask me to fly to the moon on a broom," Harry muttered.

"Try."

"Aye, aye, captain." Harry tossed off a salute.

Suntree smiled. "Finish your campus walk-through." He passed a folder of paperwork to Tony. "I'll meet up with you soon."

"Aye, aye, captain," Tony said with a grin.

Suntree rolled his eyes and followed the school official back to the main building.

"So…" Harry shifted his bag to his other shoulder, watching Suntree's progress. "Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"I put forth the motion we ditch this walk-through idea of Suntree's. Frankly, I don't care how traditional it is to see the grounds before checking out your dorm, not when Suntree won't let us leave the luggage behind. I mean, seriously, I was here how many times over the summer?"

"I'm all for hitting the dorms." Tony set off in that direction.

"Excellent." Harry glanced back at Green. "You want to-"

"I'm good. I'll be of more use helping you settle in."

Hollen snorted derisively.

"All right." Harry shot Hollen a warning look, then set out after Tony. Hollen quickly fell in step with him.

There were students wandering the garden courtyard outside of the dorm building, most of them just idle, and almost no parents to be seen anywhere.

"You really cut it close," Tony said with a snort. "Class starts tomorrow."

"Hey, Mom's the one that didn't want to let me go until the last possible moment." Harry rolled his eyes and skirted around a group of older students; they didn't spare him a second glance.

Tony veered onto the path that led to the east wing of the dorm building. "Come on, kid, we need your ID card. Sunny took the temporary with him."

"I'm a dozen steps behind you," Harry pointed out, digging into his pocket as he came to a stop in front of the wide door. His fingers closed around the ID card and he pulled it free to swipe across the sensor beside the door, then took a moment to study his manically grinning picture as Tony opened the door and held it for them.

"Real cute," Hollen remarked, pulling the ID card from Harry's hand as he passed. "You look a little insane."

"Hey, it's only fair to give people a little warning."

Tony paused in front of the two elevators, opening the folder Suntree had handed him and pulling out the dorm map. "So you're on the third floor… and the rest of the map is blank."

"You got a room number?" Green asked curiously.

"Three twenty-eight."

"I'll take the stairs," Green told them. "They're just around the corner, off of the lounge."

"Why the-?"

"It's just an elevator," Hollen interrupted Harry. "Elevators are mechanical devices that go up and down and-"

"Do you realize how stupid you sound?" Green cut in. "In this effort to insult me-"

"Oh, you insult yourself well enough without my help-"

"You take it to extremes that are ridiculous instead of cutting-"

"One!"

Hollen and Green started and turned to look at Harry.

"Are you done?" Harry asked them, crossing his arms.

Hollen sneered slightly. "Only if this Southern-"

"Two!"

Green's brows went up. "Are you counting to three on us?"

"Yes, I am."

"And what happens on three?" Hollen asked, his own brows raised.

"I don't know, but I can promise that you won't like it. So be nice, Holly." Harry fixed him with a severe look.

"What? I thought he might be scared of the new technology!"

"Don't." Harry stabbed the elevator button.

"If Jamie curses you, I'm going to laugh," Tony told Hollen. "Rolling on the floor. And then I'll be sending you my dry cleaning bills."

Hollen gave Tony an up and down. "I don't think you know what a dry cleaners is. You probably wash all of your clothes together, colors be damned."

"I'll see you guys upstairs." Green turned the corner into the lounge.

Hollen looked back to Harry with a bright smile. "I guess he didn't want to be on the big moving box with me."

Tony nudged Harry into the elevator. "Imagine that."

"But on the bright side," Hollen continued, following Harry, "he'll get terribly lost without the map and that's a little less time he'll be breathing my air."

"Here's hoping we don't get lost," Tony muttered, studying the blank piece of paper in his hands.

"Here, let me see that." Harry grabbed the map from Tony. It tingled with magic in Harry's hands and he almost imagined he could see very faint lines, though there was nothing discernible on the paper when he held it closer to the light. It wasn't until the elevator doors had opened on the third floor and Harry had stepped into the hallway that the map revealed itself, rooms as boxes, hallways as rectangles, and an X marking the spot. Harry ran his finger over the map until he found the X marking his room, the only box with a label on the map, and he traced it back to the elevator.

"I could have done that," Tony pointed out. "It doesn't require your magic touch."

"Whatever. And down this way, to the right. There won't be any getting lost today." Harry set out, turning down the left side of the hallway.

"We know the room number," Hollen said dryly. "We'd just follow the numbers. No getting lost at all."

"No deal," Harry said with a grin, glancing at the doors they passed. "That's room one thirteen and across from it is room ninety-eight and the next room is two eleven. No following room numbers for us."

"This school…" Tony grabbed the map back. "Right, left, right, right, left… Remind me why I shouldn't be complaining about these maze-like hallways." He looked down at the sloping up and down floors and shook his head.

"Because it's enough security to make even Holly happy?" Harry suggested with a grin.

"I'm never happy."

Harry looked over his shoulder, studying Hollen closely. Hollen winked and grinned. Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You spend time with me, so you're at least occasionally happy."

"Never happy." Hollen suddenly grinned. "Actually, I'm very damned happy. With how fucked up these rooms are, the Southern will never find your room!"

Harry snorted.

"And that's what he gets for being frightened of elevators."

"I'm seriously beginning to know how a rat in a maze feels," Tony put in. "This would drive me crazy, going to school here. I'm well aware that the design of the dorms is haphazard and strange for security reasons and all of the rooms are set up the way they are so they can shift and turn and lock together, creating impenetrable sealed cubes, yada, yada-"

"This is my safety we're talking about," Harry interrupted mildly.

Hollen smirked. "With you around, it's everyone else's safety I'd be worried about."

Harry raised a brow at him. "Funny, that's what they say about you."

"But couldn't they do that without making a maze?" Tony continued, ignoring them. "The rooms look like someone shook a huge red cup-"

"The red cup is important," Harry put in with a wise nod.

"-filled with dice and just let them rest wherever they happened to fall and then built a building around them and called it a dorm. And don't even get me started on the building design-"

"Yada, yada, chop in half, yada, yada."

"-like someone just said 'hey, let's chop a perfectly good building in half and yank it apart, and never mind those insane rooms jutting out every which way-'"

"Hey, Tony, can I have a penguin?"

"'And we'll just cover'- What?"

"Penguin? You know? Aquatic flightless birds? Southern hemisphere? Feed on-"

"I know what penguins are, you brat."

"Well? Have one? Adorable little blue fairy one?"

"No, you may not," Tony told him with amusement. "Because you know damn well no matter how accepting your mom might be about your pets, she would draw the line at a penguin."

Harry frowned, then pouted, then perked up and opened his mouth to speak.

Tony interrupted before he could even make a sound. "No. You can't have a komodo dragon, either. Or a monkey. Or a lemur. Or a runespoor. Or a basilisk. Or a-"

"Hug?" Harry asked with a cheeky grin.

He snorted. "That I can do."

Harry skipped ahead a few steps to press against Tony's side, giving him a half hug. Tony settled an arm around him warmly, giving a little squeeze and shake. "I think we're almost to your room," he said after a bit, turning the map one way and then another. "Despite the insanity of this building."

Harry pulled away and peered at the map, then stole one of Tony's hands. "I think I agree that the insanity of the building does help foster creativity. No straight lines or well defined floors and the rolling, sloping hallways-"

"Don't get me started on that, 'cat."

Harry grinned. "I think it's awesome."

"You would think it's awesome.

"Holly agrees with me," Harry said brightly. "Don't you, Holly?"

"Hollen would agree with you."

"That's because Holly loves me."

"I love you, too, you crazy 'cat," Tony said with a laugh, glancing back at Hollen with a slightly arched brow as Hollen stared at Harry in surprise. "What I don't love are crazy hallways. It's unnatural."

"You're a silly wolf."

"That is entirely possible," Tony agreed, freeing his hand and dropping his arm around Harry's shoulders again.

"You're a silly wolf who will put my school ID back in my pocket where it belongs. And my money, too. And then you will stop picking my pockets."

"How can you say that? I haven't done any such thing."

"Put it back."

"Oh, look, I think this is your hallway."

"Back. There, see? That wasn't so hard."

Tony snorted. "How'd you know?"

"Because you're freaking Tony." They rounded a corner. "And- Green!" Harry grinned.

Green looked up with a grin of his own and gave them a lazy wave, not moving from his lounging position next to door. The number over the door was three twenty-eight.

"Dude, how'd you find the room so quickly?"

"The stairs come up over there." He nodded in the other direction. "Three hallways over. So here I am."

"Yeah, but the numbers are totally messed up. How did you…?"

Green tapped the side of his nose with a wink.

"That doesn't really- Tony!" Harry fixed Tony with a look and grabbed his ID card from Tony's hand. "That was just blatantly-"

"I was going to open the door!"

"It's my dorm, thank you." Harry wiped his ID card on his shirt and stepped forward, lifting the card toward the door. He stopped just short, though, and sent a warning look over his shoulder. "You two had better behave, you understand me? Mom and The Spoon could show up at any minute and she's twitchy enough about me going off to school. So consider that your warning and I wash my hands of your fate."

"I… don't start it," Green pointed out.

"Be the bigger man."

"I think I feel…insulted?" Hollen muttered.

"You ought to feel thoroughly chastised."

Hollen held up his hands. "Done."

Tony snorted.

"Good." Harry fixed a look at Tony. "And there is nothing wrong with Spoon fear. Don't think I didn't see your look. I fear The Spoon. There's nothing wrong with fearing The Spoon."

"You're twelve." Tony went to snag the ID from Harry's hand but Harry hid it behind his back. "And she's your mom. Your fear is reasonable. The fear of hardened, seasoned and slightly insane Aurors, no, that's not reasonable."

"But it's The Spoon. And are you sure I can't have a penguin? Cute penguin? You know you like the penguins."

"No penguins."

"Ice cream instead?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Before dinner? You'd have better luck getting a penguin."

"Damn. I thought the penguin lead up would make ice cream seem more reasonable."

"You failed."

"Can we go into the dorm already?" Hollen asked. "I'm actually standing next to the Southern waiting. Not insulting."

Harry laughed and swiped the card in front of the door. A door handle slowly appeared.

"You know, I could still pick that," Tony said smugly.

"And you'll be teaching me sometime this year," Harry informed him, turning the handle. The door opened into a short, dark hallway; at the end of the hallway, the opening into the actual dorm was just as dark. "Looks like the roommate isn't here," Harry remarked, tapping a light pad on the wall as he moved into the hallway.

"Why is there a hallway?" Hollen asked, following Tony into the room. "Why do you need a short little hallway?"

"Something to do with the security turning into cube thing of the room, I think," Harry said.

"My suggestion is to expand the hallway and put in a table or something like a counter," Green put in.

"Hey, that's a thought." Harry stepped into the dorm itself, reaching out to tap the light pad near the door. Sections of the ceiling began to glow, lighting the room softly. "Apparently the roommate is in," Harry added as a boy half reclined on one of the beds sat up, glaring heatedly. "And I seem to have just woken him up from a nap…" Harry lowered the bag he was carrying, lifting a hand in greeting. "Sorry about that. I didn't know you were in. I'm-"

"I have no desire to know who you are," the boy interrupted shortly. "And I was not napping. I was reading."

Harry turned his attention from studying the room to give the boy a closer look. "You were reading in the dark?"

"Yes."

Harry stepped further into the room, giving the area another sweeping look before he busied himself with moving his bag out of the entranceway, considering the boy from under his lashes. He looked a few years older than Harry. His hair and eyes were dark, though any hint of color was lost to the shadows of his curtained bed; his skin was pale enough to stand out even in the darkness.

Harry didn't think twice about dropping his shields a little to consider the boy's magic; he found it tightly compressed and threaded with things Harry hadn't the faintest hope of understanding. Harry sensed the others moving into the room and around, though Tony had stopped by his side and there was an out of place wariness riding on the edges of his aura.

The boy turned his head to the side slightly and his eyes caught the light, shining like a cat's eyes in the dark. "Cease staring at me immediately."

With a slight frown, Harry pulled his shields back into place and openly studied the other. "There's something odd about you…"

The boy made a scoffing noise. His eyes flashed and shone as he turned his head, picking up a book lying at his side.

"Your eyes… and you were reading in the dark… Are you a vampire?"

The boy looked up again, eyes narrowed.

"You are a vampire. Well, probably more of a half vampire, but still…"

He made a haughty noise. "It is only your own foolishness if you refused to believe them when they told you."

"Yeah, well, no one told me."

The boy leveled a highly doubtful look on him, but after a moment he simply looked back to his book, saying nothing.

"Hey, sorry about the light thing. I guess you're probably a little sensitive. Though, you know, I can't see in the dark, so we're going to have to compromise-"

"I am fully aware."

"Right. Well, I'm Harry-"

"And I still have no desire to know you."

"You're going to be a bucket of fun and sunshine to room with. Suit yourself." Harry turned to find Hollen giving him a smirking sort of look. "And you can just shut the hell up."

"I didn't say a thing," Hollen murmured.

"You were thinking it. I can tell. I know you."

Hollen looked around the space, making an airy sort of gesture with one of his arms. "Two beds, two dressers, two bookcases, two desks… my, but this place is dull." He moved over to the full size bed and touched the dark blue curtains with a look of distaste, then dropped a hand to the mattress. "I suppose that's comfortable enough, though it's certainly nothing I'd sleep on."

"As if you'll be having sleepovers with Jamie," Green snorted, moving past Harry and through the door leading to the bathroom.

"I came prepared for the bed," Harry put in quickly, gesturing to one of the bags Green had dropped.

"There's that, at least." Hollen moved to open the dresser. Tony joined him in his examination. "But such dull colors…"

"Not very homey," Green remarked, emerging from the bathroom. "This place needs some fixin' up."

"Oz have mercy," Hollen muttered. "You're going add some sort of country shit, aren't you?" Hollen sneered. "Flannel sheets and cows and roosters and cowboy hats-"

"You're seriously fucking ignorant," Green cut in coldly. "Not that there's anything wrong with flannel as a-"

"It's fucking flannel. Don't put any country filth-"

"One!"

Hollen huffed. "I was just-"

"Two!"

Hollen turned his attention back to the bed with a sniff.

"Seriously, guys, grow up. There won't be any cows in this room unless they're limited edition designer cows. And you'd be the one to get me that, Holly; you know you would. And believe it or not, Holly, Green actually has good taste when he's not being unforgivably-"

"Country?"

"Male," Harry said firmly. "And on that note, I refuse to listen to you two bicker all day. Don't think I won't curse you and stuff you two in a closet."

Hollen made a surrendering motion and went back to examining the bed.

Harry shook his head as he made his way over to the dresser. He ran his fingers over the wood as he studied it, considering the grain as he let the magic tickle against his senses. "The wood will respond really well to restructuring and space-layering," Harry decided.

"You knew that," Tony said with amusement. "It's supposed to respond well to student efforts to change it."

"Well, yeah, but I mean… it'll really respond well. It's, like, super magical."

Tony tapped the side of the dresser with the toe of his shoe. "I expect it's probably pretty magical in itself by now, from years of being changed."

Harry took a moment to feel out the magic properly instead of just a little brush. He shrugged. "Not so much, actually. Magical, yes, but whoever strips these down each year does a pretty good job of it. It's mainly just a lingering residue."

"I am not putting any chickens up!" Green snapped.

Harry spun around in surprise. Green was glaring at Hollen and Hollen was sneering back. "What's going on now?"

"Every time I try to make a change, this idiot-"

"That's rich, calling me an idiot," Hollen muttered. "Glass houses, Southern, not that I expect you to understand that-"

"More of your ignorant insults." Green crossed his arms. "I'd like to point out that you weren't invited today, you just invited yourself-"

"I was assigned, if you'll recall-"

"To an overall security review of Hathorne as a school, not here, not tagging along with your stupid, half-assed, prejudiced notions about the South-"

"Spaghetti evergreen marmalade kinkajou rainbow serenading frogs banana!"

Everyone turned to stare at Harry in surprise.

"Do I have everyone's attention?"

"More than," Hollen assured.

"Good. I'm pulling rank-"

"He has rank?" Hollen muttered to Tony.

"Jamie rank," Tony muttered back.

"-and ordering everyone to play nice because today is all about me. We clear?"

"Yes sir," Tony said with a grin.

"Doing my best," Green assured.

Hollen nodded slowly. "For you, princess."

"Then you," Harry pointed at Hollen, "can change the bed. My sheets are dark green so I think I want the wood to be a much darker brown than it is right now with some undertones of red. And once you get the color I like, then we'll talk about changing the size and style of the bed."

Hollen raised a brow. "Anything else, your majesty?"

"Stop being a dick, maybe?" Harry turned to Green. "And you can release the compression charms on the luggage and figure out which suitcase holds the bedding. And by the way, Green, total win on your side, finding those suitcases that hold multiple suitcases."

"Sure makes things easier," Green grinned.

Hollen turned to look at the luggage; they were black with not-quite-black curling, looping patterns that caught the light just enough to be subtly noticeable. He glanced over at Green with an unreadable look. "You picked those out?"

"Yes," Green told him a little shortly.

Hollen grunted and turned to the bed.

Green raised his brows at Harry and mouthed, "Is that almost a compliment?"

Harry shrugged and grinned.

Green shrugged back and turned to the luggage. He set about unzipping the bags and peering inside to find the right one.

"You got any decrees for me?" Tony asked, leaning against the desk.

"Give me a minute." Harry glanced around the room. When his eyes fell on his still glaring roommate, he half opened his mouth, but the glare only intensified and the boy bared his teeth, revealing fangs that were just noticeable. Harry turned away with a shrug. "I have the feeling I'm going at this backwards somehow…"

"Yeah, I've got that feelin', too," Green added, moving over to the bed with his arms full of compressed sheets, blankets, pillows and bedding in sealed plastic bags. He skirted wide of Hollen to dump everything on the bed. "I'm thinkin' we're goin' about this all wrong-"

"Freaking Oz!" Hollen rounded on Green. "The letter 'G' is a part of the alphabet! You're allowed to use it! Feeling! Thinking! Going! Ing! It's a noise and you are capable of making it!"

"I'm perfectly well acquainted with the letter 'G', thank you."

"Then use it."

"Because that outburst was entirely unexpected." Harry rolled his eyes. "You two want to just skip all of the bickering and make out and be done with it?"

The matching looks of horror returned.

"That's it," Harry told them. "Every time you guys start to get on my nerves, I'm going to start talking about how you ought to be making out. Now I trust we'll be behaving in the future?"

"You better fucking believe it," Hollen muttered.

"Haell yeah."

"Good." Harry smiled. "Green, why don't you go take a look at the desk. It'll definitely need to be bigger."

"That I can do."

"And you should be working on the bed, Holly."

"Yes, sir," Hollen said dryly. "Anything for you, sir. Oh so commanding, sir."

"Watch it, buster. I'll give you bunny ears and you'll be stuck with them until you see me again."

Tony grinned. "And if you've got bunny ears, Laney just might introduce you to The Spoon for irritating Jamie enough that he gave you bunny ears."

Harry grinned. "Fear the ears, fear The Spoon. We are a wild and dangerous family."

"No arguments from me." Hollen poked the mattress with a look of distaste.

"It's a perfectly acceptable mattress," Tony told him, moving over to the bags to search through them. "Just because it's not a pillow top with extra cushioning and the works doesn't make it a bad mattress. Ah, here's the extra bedding I thought I saw Laney packing at the last minute." He pulled out several more compressed plastic bags and took them over to the bed. "Have fun with this," he told Hollen with a grin.

"I am not your maid," Hollen huffed.

"Hey, you've been assigned the bed."

"And you brought the bedding over. I realize you may not be used to beds, but sheets and pillows will not harm you."

Tony snorted. "Nice try, but you're the one on bed duty."

"And you-"

"Holy hell." Harry looked between Tony and Hollen, torn between amusement and irritation, but definitely exasperated. "You seriously can't do anything without making it into an argument, can you, Holly?"

"What? Me?"

"Yes, you. And you and Tony are friends!"

Hollen gave Tony a sidelong look. "Friends? When did that happen?"

"Davish doesn't make friends," Tony said with a twitching smile. "He makes beneficial acquaintances that can tolerate him being Davish."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Hollen agreed. "Pretty good definition of friendship."

"Minus all of the feel-good, fuzzy feelings," Tony added dryly.

"That's just a waste of perfectly good time and energy, really."

Harry decided on amused exasperation and threw his hands up in the air. "Adults! Can't live with them, can't feed them to the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal."

Hollen turned his attention back to Harry, looking thoroughly puzzled. "The what?"

"The- the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal!" Harry gave him a strange look. "You've never read _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_?"

"Obviously not."

Harry tsked. "I'm going to give you a reading assignment just as soon as I get home to get the books and then – oh wait! Even better! Tony! I command you to drop off _Hitchhiker_ to Holly. Pretty please with sugar on top?"

"Sure thing, kid. But only because there's sugar on top. You know how I like my pleases with lots of sugar."

Suddenly, the wall behind Hollen and Tony shimmered and jerked back, making everyone start. Hollen and Tony both made abortive movements to grab their wands, but Harry put his hands on his hips, fixing Green with a mock stern look as Green looked around wearing a startled, sheepish expression.

"And what have I told you about that, Green?"

"Er… I was really just testing to see how easily it responds to space-layering magic. Believe me, I had no intention of actually trying it."

"Good." Harry considered the wall. It'd been pushed back several feet under the power of several space layering spells woven together, but Harry could sense they were sloppily laid over each other.

"I'd like to point out, however, that a lot of adults can't manage space layering to any real degree," Green put in, rubbing his cheek with his wand.

"Green, don't do that unless you want to lose your nose or something."

"I'm just saying."

"In any case, you know the rule. No space-layering for Green. No offense, but it's like nails on a chalkboard when I watch you do that. So take it down. I can say that, at least; you can strip space-layering down faster than anyone I've ever seen."

Green winked.

A burst of annoyed French erupted from the other side of the room and Harry turned with a start. The boy was sitting at the side of the bed properly, leaning forward, fangs bared as he glared.

Harry forgot for a moment why he was confused as he got his first real look at his roommate and saw how attractive he was, glare included. His pale skin didn't look so marked in the light and the dark hair was revealed to be a rich blend of reds. "Wow, you're…"

The boy glared even more, fangs showing more prominently. "What?"

"Er, nothing." Harry cleared his throat. "Is there something wrong? I don't speak French…"

"He was complaining about how completely ridiculous this entire situation is and how you're even more completely annoying. Loosely translated."

"Thanks, Holly." Harry raised his brows at the boy. "So why am I ridiculous and why is this even more ridiculous?"

"As if you have a single care for the rules," the boy told him harshly. "You have done nothing but order people about, directing them to change your side of the room to your whims. The rules have been quite thoroughly trampled to nothing, so why should it matter if you break more?"

"I don't think I follow…"

"Students are not allowed to have others modify or be-spell their dorm room in any way," he snarled. "You clearly do not care for the rules, so there is no reason for him to stop. Have him continue."

"Ah." Harry glanced back. Hollen looked both thoroughly amused and like he was ready to pull his wand at any moment. Tony and Green just looked amused. "Right." Harry looked back to his roommate and was distracted again by the boy's confident, expectant expression, as if he knew the universe was about to be laid at his feet.

"Well?" the boy demanded. "Desist staring at me and return to your blatant disregard for the rules."

"You know, I should probably be pretty irritated by this attitude," Harry mused. "But it's actually pretty damn amusing." The boy's eyes narrowed, but Harry cut him off as he opened his mouth. "And, by the way, I haven't trampled or blatantly disregarded a single rule thus far. The staff knows my family will be helping me with my room and they're totally cool with it."

"And why is that?" the boy asked suspiciously. "Not even _I_ was given special allowance."

Harry tried not to grin. "Wow, you must be pretty important. I sure hope I'm worthy of breathing the same air as you."

"You do not amuse me."

"That's okay; I amuse myself enough for two."

The boy pressed his fingertips to his temple, eyes closing as he muttered in French.

Harry looked expectantly at Hollen.

"He doesn't like you very much," Hollen told him with a smirk.

"Thanks a heap." Harry rolled his eyes and looked back to the boy. "Are you freaking out because you think I'm not going to expand the room some? Believe me, I am. I'm just not going to let Green do it."

The boy peered at him from beneath his lashes, then made a dismissive noise and picked up his book, acting for all the world like they no longer existed.

Harry turned back to his side of the room. "He'll come around."

"I assure you," the boy muttered, "I will not."

Harry nodded confidently before turning his attention back to Green. "I trust you'll remember from now on that there's no space-layering allowed from you."

Green grinned. "Sure thing. Speaking of, are you going to come out and redo my cabin? Since my space-layering is so horrifying."

"It is horrifying!"

"No one else complains about my space layering."

"No one else can tell that you're butchering it all to hell and back again with gleeful delight in a job done so badly it just can't be wrong."

Green considered that. "I think I've just been smacked by a fish."

"I think you have," Harry agreed.

"I think I'll take down the layering now, as per the rules."

"I think you will," Harry agreed.

"I'll get on that."

"You do that."

"I will just as soon as you stop giving me that intimidating ruler of the universe look of yours."

Harry laughed. "You're such a dork."

"He's such an idiot," Hollen muttered. "Who the hell says they've just been smacked by a fish? That is thoroughly-"

"How about someone who's actually _been_ smacked by a fish?" Green retorted.

"Technically, you were smacked with a fish," Harry corrected. "But I suppose that 'by' works, too."

Hollen frowned, glancing between them. "What?"

"Well, I was fishing with Green-"

"Fishing. Of course."

"Are you going to let me explain this or not?"

Hollen waved a hand. "Go on."

"Right. I was fishing with Green and he said something worthy of getting a smack upside the head, all in teasing fun of course, but I sort of… forgot that I was holding a fish. So I smacked him with a fish. And Green says that there's nothing that puts you in your place quite like being smacked over the head with a fish."

"That's for sure," Green mumbled.

"I think I approve of this story," Hollen remarked.

"Yes, you would." Harry rolled his eyes and glanced around the room. "And that is where we should have started. That's why it felt like we were going at this all wrong. We totally were. I don't know why it didn't occur to me."

"It's the Sou…" Hollen coughed. "It happens. A lot on your mind."

Harry gave Hollen a small smile. "Definitely a lot on my mind."

"So," Hollen said a little loudly, "who's doing the space-layering?"

"I am," Harry grinned. "You can help by moving the furniture against the walls. Well, moving the desk chair against the wall, I guess, since the other stuff is already …" Harry glanced around, eyes lingering on the other side of the room. "Actually… I'll be right back." He pulled his wand and swept it over the luggage, some of it half unpacked, and directed it to follow him as he made his way over to the bathroom; he grabbed the potions bag and slung it carefully over his shoulder as he went.

Their bathroom looked the same as the bathroom Harry had seen on his first orientation tour of Hathorne when they'd looked at one of the unoccupied dorm rooms. The door led to a narrow room like a hallway that ended in a sink with two doors to the left, one leading to the toilet and the other leading to a large bathtub and shower combo, and two doors to the right, set at angles to each other, that led to small walk-in closets.

The first closet door Harry touched sparked with a ward and Harry didn't even try to turn the handle. He opened the second door and directed his luggage into a space that held nothing but a long dresser at the back of the closet, then stood considering the size of the closet. He returned to the main room of the bathroom and considered the space of the other rooms.

"Hey! Dictator boy!" Hollen called out.

"Is my mom out there?"

"Uh… no."

"Good. What the hell do you want now?"

"Jamie, watch your language," Green called out.

"But I'm talking to Holly! And you so haven't cared before now!"

"Don't let him reinforce bad habits. Watch your language."

Harry rolled his eyes as he came out of the bathroom. "What did you want, Holly?"

"I was wondering if it'd make it easier for you if we piled some of the furniture on top of the other furniture."

"Actually, I want to move everything we can into the bathroom, closet and hallway." Harry looked to the boy; he was settled back in the darkness of his bed again, head bent over his book, but the cat gleam of his eyes gave away his watchfulness. "So, why don't you guys start that. I think we can likely get everything out of the room except the bed."

"Can do," Tony told him, pulling out his wand. The other two nodded and did the same.

Harry sent his roommate a smile. "Hey, kid, can-?"

"I have a name," he interrupted coolly.

"Yeah, so do I, but you don't seem to give a shit about it so I don't know why I should give a shit what your name is." Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Green start to open his mouth, then close it and return to sealing the dresser drawers shut to make moving it easier.

The boy drew in a breath, looking up properly to fix Harry with a look of great distaste, like he'd found something thoroughly unpleasant on the bottom of his shoe, and what was more, he'd have to remove it without magic. The distaste faded away as the boy pressed his lips together and tilted his head to the side, regarding Harry with superior haughtiness. "I am the Prince of Vampires."

Hollen made a strange noise that drew Harry's attention and he saw a flash of a look on Hollen's face, a moment of narrow-eyed reevaluation, before Hollen simply raised a brow and went back to collecting everything that'd been piled onto the bed. Harry returned his attention to his roommate, coming a few more steps into the dorm room again, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Yeah?"

"Yes."

"I've studied vampires a little and I don't think I recall their government or society involving any sort of royalty, at least… oh, wait… Oh. I know who you are." Harry studied the figure thoughtfully. "You're the, uh, De- no, the Du'Mau… Du'Maurier heir. Right? Geoffrey?"

He smirked. "I see you've heard of me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I bet you've heard of me, too. I'm-"

"Why do you think I suddenly care?"

Harry rocked on his feet. "I've seen your parents. It was just a meeting in passing one day, just a nod to each other from across a room. I haven't actually had a chance to meet them. But, you know, I probably should have realized who you were before now; you look a fair bit like your parents."

Geoffrey frowned. "I cannot imagine where they might have been that you would also be, but-"

"You look a lot like your mom, though, so I guess it's more forgivable. I haven't seen images of her nearly as often as I've seen images of your father in some of the papers I read and the recent history books and all of that. Though, you have absolutely gorgeous violet gray eyes and I have no idea where you got those."

Geoffrey opened his mouth but looked too startled to say anything.

"Anyway, Geoffrey, now that I know your name, even if you don't care in the least about mine –by the way, fair warning, I'm going to be very amused about that soon enough. But, Geoffrey, I'm thinking I'd kind of like to move just about everything we can move out of the room, and since, you know, it's mostly your stuff in the room right now, it'd be totally cool if you'll let us move everything around."

Geoffrey frowned. "One can expand a space without removing everything. I have seen it done."

"Sure, it's possible, but it's not exactly the most efficient or effective way to go about things. You see, when you put space-layering on a room, you build a sort of sticky web of magic on the walls and then you start stringing space magic along the web, kinda, sorta, and then you have to connect the walls and pull everything tight, working more and more magic into it until you've pressed as much magic into it as you can and then you let go and the magic slams into place. But if there're things in the room, the magic has to snake around it and that makes it less powerful, thus a smaller space. See?"

Geoffrey stared at him for so long with an odd bemused expression that Harry began to wonder if he'd started to speak in some alien language halfway through, or even lapsed into Parseltongue.

"So… it'd make it bigger if we move as much stuff as we can." Harry glanced around at Geoffrey's side of the room. There were some books on the bookshelf, a backpack over the desk chair, a few things lined up neatly on the dresser and a chest pressed up against the side of the bed, closer to the foot of the bed than the head. "Though it doesn't look like you've really unpacked, so it'd definitely make it easier to move your stuff…"

"It is only a matter of time before they see sense and let me have a private room."

Harry looked away to keep from sniggering and rolling his eyes, lest it make Geoffrey even more disagreeable to moving everything. "So, what do you say? Can we move everything? Make the room much bigger? You know you want more space."

Geoffrey sniffed and looked away, adopting an unconcerned and disinterested look. "If you wish."

"It really doesn't look good when you can't make decisions for yourself, being a self-titled prince and all."

Geoffrey stiffened slightly, turning a glare in Harry's direction. "I am not self-titled. That is what they call me."

"I'm well aware. So is that a yes or a no? It'll be all sorts of crazy, but I can expand only my half of the room and leave yours untouched if it's not something you actually want. I'm totally cool with crazy."

Geoffrey sniffed. "I suppose I can allow you that favor."

"All right then, if you don't want me to-"

"I said yes!"

"Well, just right now you said yes, but you weren't really saying yes before; you were trying to say yes without actually committing yourself to being agreeable."

Geoffrey glowered.

"Yeah, Jamie only puts up with that from people he likes," Tony said with a grin, slanting a look at Hollen. Hollen gave him the finger.

"It is only logical that I am agreeable," Geoffrey muttered. "Do I look daft enough to turn away the opportunity to have more space separating us?"

Harry gave Geoffrey a slow look up and down. "I don't know. I'm still working on the fact that you look pretty darn good, glares, fangs and all."

Geoffrey gave a start. "What?"

"Don't mind me." Harry waved a dismissive hand. "Rainbows are leaking from my pores. It happens occasionally. I'm housetrained, though, no worries." Harry gave him a thumbs-up before turning to the others. "Hey, listen, Mom'll probably be around any time soon so I'm going to go wait outside and let her know what's going on, okay? And I also sort of need to get a bit centered before I make miracles happen."

Tony rolled his eyes. "We can handle this." He glanced over at Geoffrey's bed. Geoffrey slid further back into the shadows. "Go on."

"Don't worry; I'll keep the Southern from playing around with the advanced magic."

"Fuck you, Davish," Green said, putting down the desk chair he'd just picked up.

"As if I would ever even think-"

"You're being an asshole again and-"

Harry backed towards the hallway. "Good luck with the toddlers, Tony," he said brightly, pointing at Green and Hollen. "I'll be in the hall. Later!" Harry quickly sidled down the hallway to the door, pulling it open just enough to slip out.

"Oh come on, Jamie, don't-"

The door closed on Tony's protest. Once the door had clicked shut, the handle disappeared. Harry could still hear the faintest murmuring sounds from beyond the door, a simple hum of unidentifiable noise; he made a note to himself to work sound muffling and dampening charms into the space layering.

Leaning back against the wall, Harry considered the smooth wood of his door, then glanced down the hall to another door where the handle was clearly visible. "Huh…" He looked the other way and saw one door without a handle and another with the handle visible.

"You must be an L1," a light voice observed from not far away. "You look puzzled by something."

Harry turned with a laugh. There was an older girl coming down the hall holding an armful of books. "So if you look puzzled, you're automatically an L1?"

"Generally. And I don't recognize you, either, so that does kind of give it away. In a school of this size, we don't always know everyone's names, but we do remember the faces."

"Fair enough. And yeah, I'm an L1. And I know, I'm getting in really late, the afternoon before classes start, blah, blah."

"I didn't say anything." She stopped a few feet away and shifted the stack of books in her arms.

"No, but I'm sure you're thinking it. Everyone I've talked to has been pretty surprised that I'm getting in so late and tutting over how long it'll take me to get settled in and telling me I should have gotten here at least three days before classes start to get my room set up before I'm too busy to spare the time, blah, blah, blah."

"You said it, not me. Good luck with that."

"I don't need luck," Harry told her cheerfully. "I've got my family. I've got permission to let them help me get everything arranged to my liking since I've already proven and then some that I could do it quite well on my own."

"So you're letting them do all the work?" she asked with a snicker.

"I'm saving a little bit for myself. Oh, I'm Harry." Harry rolled his eyes. "Harry Potter, actually. And you-"

"Seriously?" she asked, giving him a searching look. "Really?"

Harry grinned. "Nice to meet you, Seriously Really."

She blushed a little, laughing as she looked away. "No, that's- I mean- I'm Amy. I meant, well, I'm sure you know what I meant. You're seriously Harry Potter?"

"Well, I was when I woke up. I think I probably still am."

"Wow. Cool."

"Yeah. That pretty much sums it all up. I'm really thinking I'm going to start introducing myself as 'Potter, Harry Potter' just because it feels a little bit awesome, though."

She laughed again. "I think you could probably pull it off."

"Thank you. And your books…" As if on the cue the books in her arms began to slide and fall. Harry waved a hand at the falling stack, stilling the books for a split second before they piled back up into a stack in her arms. "I spoke a second too late there. But you should be careful."

"How did you do that?"

"What?"

"I mean, that wasn't levitation, I don't think, you actually stacked them all back up at once, not one at a time…"

"Oh, that; it's called a catchall." He tried not to laugh at her doubtful look. "No, really, it is. It's a form of spell casting, not a spell. What Level are you in?"

"I'm starting L4."

"You might be learning it this year then or maybe next year. It's also called a catchel or cetchel, depending on where you learn it. Why it has different pronunciations, I have no idea, and no one can answer that question to my satisfaction."

"So it's just some sort of large levitation… no, you said it wasn't a spell… Okay, what is that exactly?"

"It's a way of doing a spell. I actually did do a levitation spell there to catch everything, but I used a catchall variation on the spell. A catchall is a way of breaking up a single spell so it acts as multiple versions of that spell all at once. It's… kind of advanced, a little bit, and it's actually a theory born from the abilities of people with air leanings in magic, so it's kind of a newer idea. But the way it works, you break up a spell into segments and you put equal intent into each segment and… you know, it might be better if a teacher explains it. The way I do it might be way different than how someone else would."

"You don't have to teach it to me," she said, rolling her eyes. "But explain how you did that with my books. I don't quite get it."

Harry rocked on his feet as he considered that. "I think… Okay, what I did was I took the focus and intent of a levitation spell, I broke the spell apart into multiple sections still connected by a thread of magic, put the focus and intent of the entire spell into each section, and then I wrapped that segmented spell up in a single trigger, pulling the spell back together before I cast it on your books. And you see, since the spell is actually in segments, each segment connected to a book individually, instead of treating them as a whole. So there was your moment of everything stopping as each segment acted as the entirety of the spell. But since everything was just one spell and still connected, even though it was acting like multiple spells, I was able to hold all of the books and direct them back into place."

"Wow. Okay. I don't quite…"

"The point is that it gives you the control of maintaining one spell with the freedom of putting a spell on each object. Better control over multiple objects without having to control multiple spells. See?"

"I get it, sort of, but I can't even begin to imagine how you managed to do that in barely a second…"

"Oh, well… I have to resist the urge to tell you that I'm Harry Potter and I'm mysterious and can do amazing things," Harry said, wriggling his fingers, "ooh, mysterious. But it's not really all that amazing. It's just a matter of learning how to think about magic. I mean, to actually learn a catchall takes a little work since you have to sit down with a spell, break it apart with Arithmancy, balance it out so you know where you can separate it, practice breaking it apart but holding it together and then practice casting it like that-"

"That doesn't sound like a little work," she said dryly.

"Okay, it takes some work. But once you get that, once you've actually broken a spell down and cast it a few times, it's just a matter of knowing how to think about magic and believing that since you know how to do it, you can do it just like any other spell. It takes practice, but once you actually manage to convince yourself you can perform a catchall variation in a second because you already know the magic and the theory, then you can pretty much do it in a second. It's one of those forms of magic that actually requires real belief that it'll work."

"Wow…" She gave him an odd look. "How'd you know it?"

"Now here's when I can say: ooh, Harry Potter, ooh."

She laughed. "Right. Sorry. But man, that's pretty cool. I have got to learn that."

"You will. I know they teach it here since I was asked about it on one of the placement tests I took this summer."

"Oh man, I took some of those when I started. Aren't they just frustrating? I mean, you know what you know, obviously, but seeing all those questions you don't know makes you feel kind of like 'yikes, what am I doing here!' in a way."

"Yeah, I know!" Harry nodded. "I mean, you think you know a lot and then you just keep seeing questions you can't even begin to answer and you start to feel stupid. You know, of course, that they're including questions all the way up to college level stuff, but you still feel kind of, well, stupid."

"Yeah."

"So, where are you going with all those books?" Harry asked curiously as he reached out to straighten the pile in her arms. He settled a light netting charm on them to keep them from toppling. She didn't seem to notice.

"Library. I've been here about five days now, I think it is. Time sort of gets weird without classes. But anyway, I've been reading up on stuff, getting ready for the year, that sort of thing."

"Always a good idea. Amy, you said?"

"Yeah. Amy Applewhite."

"Really? Applewhite? Related at all to Flora Applewhite, maybe?"

Amy gave him a startled look. "You know my Aunt Flora?"

"Yep." Harry put his hands in his pockets. "Of her, I mean. I've never met her. But my mom's a photographer." Harry looked down at black sneakers for a moment. "Man, that sounds weird… I don't think I've ever actually thought about it like that."

"How can you not when she's a photographer?"

"I'm weird? It feels more like a hobby with my mom, though, since she doesn't need the money so she doesn't worry about having to get work. She does it because she loves it. So I've never really thought of her as a photographer before… But, anyway, she takes photos. My mom doesn't like the moving pictures and all of that, she's trace-magical, but she really loves Flora Applewhite's work, so of course I noticed and remembered that, her approving of moving images as real photography."

"Wow, really?"

"Yeah. My mom says something, like, an Applewhite photo will always get to the heart of the subject, always show you exactly what you need to see, even with all of the nonsense of moving about going on. Something like that."

"My Aunt will think that is totally amazing. Can I tell her?"

"Yeah, sure."

"She'll be really thrilled."

Harry grinned. "Small world, huh? Especially the magical world."

"Tell me about it. I think it's even smaller at Hathorne." She gave him a look up and down. "Those jeans are completely amazing. Where did you get them? They have to be from a magical shopping center somewhere; I've never seen jeans like that for a guy anywhere in the non-magical world."

Harry ran his hand down the silky feeling gold dragon down his leg. "They are completely amazing," he agreed. "You know, they could be girl jeans," he couldn't help but tease.

"As if you'd be wearing girl jeans. Yeah, right, don't think so."

"Hey, don't be so quick to judge. I would totally wear anything if I thought I looked good in it. I actually own girl jeans that I've altered to, ahem, make fit where the fitting needs to be my friend." He grinned. "Though in this case you'd be right, I did buy them in a magical shopping center, and no, they aren't girl jeans this time."

"You are very interesting," she said after a moment.

"Thank you!"

"So where'd you get them?"

"Smashin' Fashion on Golden Street."

"You're from California? I'm sort of from that area."

"Nope." He shook his head with a laugh. "I just shop there."

"That's right. There's always some sighting somewhere, isn't there?"

"Yeah. It's always amusing to read about my visiting a place I've never been. And some of those places are really cool! I wish I had been there."

She laughed and shifted the books in her arm, turning her wrist enough to glance at her watch. "Damn. Well, it was nice to meet you, but I've got to get to the library. I'll probably have someone dropping by my room soon and I should probably be there."

"All right. See you around. Maybe we'll have a class together."

"Maybe," she agreed, continuing down the hall. "We just might."

"Oh, hey, my L1 confusion, maybe you can help me out."

She turned. "What's up?"

"Why do some of the doors have handles and some don't? I'm probably more confused by this than I should be."

"Oh! You didn't get someone to help you find your room? They usually tell you."

"Nope, my family figured we'd be able to do it on our own."

"Well, when the door's locked, there's no knob, but when it's unlocked, say if you're expecting someone to come visit, then there's a knob. You have to magically unlock it from the inside with your ID card, so by default it's always locked."

"Cool, thanks."

"Yeah, sure." She continued down the hall.

Harry studied the doors again with a laugh, leaning back against the wall. After a few moments he let himself un-focus a little, dropping his shields just enough to get a feel for the atmosphere magic around him. He'd just fallen into the flow of magic when voices pulled his focus back into the hall and he looked down the hallway in the direction they'd come. After a minute, Mrs. Cashaw, his Hathorne Advisor, rounded the corner with Laney. Al trailed after them with a stupid look on his face that Harry knew from experience meant Al was contemplating asking someone out.

"Hey, Mrs. Cashaw," Harry greeted, pushing away from the wall.

She looked over in surprise. "Mr. Potter. Jamie. I thought you were taking the traditional walk-through. You ought to be getting done with it just about now and heading this way, not already here…"

"We decided to skip it. I mean, really, I had the first orientation and then a second one and then I was here half a dozen times over the summer doing assessments and getting things worked out. And besides that, Suntree's pretty much made me memorize the campus map and the map of the town and yeah, I think I'm pretty good with knowing where things are."

"Ah…" She glanced at the door, around the otherwise empty hallway and then to him. "I see. Have you been inside yet?"

Harry snorted. "Yep. Been inside. Got my family moving things around. Met the roommate."

"Ah, yes. We were expecting to meet you here so we could talk to you about that before you actually went inside."

Harry laughed. "I just bet you did want to talk to me first. He's, um, interesting, to put it politely." Harry raised his brows. "Though what I find the most interesting is how none of us were prepared for just how interesting the roommate would be. I'm pretty sure that Suntree-"

"We met Suntree on the grounds," Mrs. Cashaw interrupted. "And we've spoken with him about it. Honestly, this was an entirely last minute change. We moved him early this afternoon after he met the L2 roommate he was supposed to have been sharing a room with. They didn't…"

"Geoffrey was himself and his roommate wanted nothing to do with that?" Harry put in with amusement.

"To put it one way, yes." She smiled wryly. "We looked to see if there was anyone else coming in new in L2 who might be a good match and then we even looked at the L3 students, but there wasn't anyone. Then it occurred to us that maybe you would have a better chance with him and we transferred him to your room. We didn't really want to give him a room to himself for various reasons-"

"Like he's a snob and a jerk and completely full of himself and you didn't want to reward that kind of behavior since he seems to expect he'll end up getting a private room anyway?"

"Once again, Mr. Potter, you see to the heart of the matter. And in any case, if we had put him in a private room, both you and he would have been in private rooms and we do try not to do that."

"Yeah, makes sense."

"Though…" Mrs. Cashaw trailed off with a slightly uncertain look.

"What?"

"Well, he's a few years older than you. I don't know if that make any difference. And this is his first year, but he's coming in as an L3 because he was privately tutored up to that Level-"

"Even more than me?" Harry asked with a laugh. "No wonder he's grumpy."

Mrs. Cashaw shook her head with a smile. "You had extensive tutoring in a variety of subjects, yes, but he was actually being homeschooled with an eye toward not attending a traditional school. He's covered most of the subjects we offer in the first few Levels, not just the magic heavy ones."

"Ah."

"So you might find him to be…"

"Extra annoying?" Harry supplied with a small grin. "Because we're both starting at the same time, but he's in L3 and I'm only in L1?"

"That's one way of putting it, yes."

"Don't worry, Jamie has plenty of experience in putting people older than him in their place," Al snorted.

Harry smiled brightly. "You're so sweet, Al."

"Ah, good then. So if you don't mind, we did speak to Sunny and he said there wouldn't be any security problems with it," Mrs. Cashaw assured.

Harry looked to Laney. Laney shrugged. "I know nothing about half vampires or vampires or anything, but Sunny tells me that the kid is just a kid."

Harry refrained from pointing out that a half vampire being just a kid was like saying he was just a kid. "Yeah, just a kid. A snob and brat and full of himself and-"

"Yes, Mr. Potter, we're aware of his charms," Mrs. Cashaw put in dryly. "Understand that if at any time you really don't want to share a room with him any more, we will find a solution, even if it means you both get private rooms."

"That's cool. He's a snobbish jerk, sure, and thinks he's all that because he's a half vampire, but it's cool. I don't mind. I think once he gets over the 'Prince of Darkness' thing he's got going that he'll be pretty tolerable. Don't worry. And for now, it's probably best to stick him with someone who won't freak out if he flashes those fangs and tries to be intimidating just as long as you realize that if he does act threatening, I will curse him."

"Yes, I imagine you would. But if he truly threatens or tries to harm anyone, he'll lose his place. I don't think that will be a problem."

"Then we are beyond cool."

She smiled with relief. "I'm glad to hear that. It seems you figured everything out on your own anyway. Perhaps you should just skip attending school and go straight to teaching."

Harry snorted. "At least let me get a few Levels under my belt."

"I suppose we can do that for you." She shifted the binder she held so it rested against her side. "So, your mother has some more information about Hathorne now. The tour went very well." She smiled. "I assume that you're going to be expanding your room today and changing everything around?"

"I didn't practice space-layering for months on end only to put it off and not actually do it on my first day." Harry grinned. "I've already demonstrated my ability to a member of the staff, after all."

"We have it on record, yes. If anyone gives you any trouble about it, just send them to one of the administrators. You might have a little trouble, I'll give you fair warning. Most students aren't able to achieve any significant form of space-layering for several years."

"That's cool. Thanks."

"And we-" She stopped and pulled a pager off her belt. "Hm. Mr. Potter, do you have any questions for me?"

"Um… No, ma'am, I don't think I do."

"Then I need to be somewhere else. Everything's always interesting the day before classes start up again. You know where to find me if you need anything."

"Yes, ma'am."

She shifted the binder again and extended a hand. "Welcome to Hathorne, Mr. Potter."

He grinned and shook her hand. "Thanks."

She nodded and turned back down the hall.

"Are your PDs in there menacing the irksome fanged menace?" Laney asked with amusement. "Cindy- Mrs. Cashaw told me that he's a brat, but he should be fairly harmless for all of his growling. I figure, if you can put up with Hollen, you should be okay."

Harry snickered. "It's hard to say, actually, on the menacing. And by the way, Mom, irksome fanged menace, that is so stolen. I am so using that. But anyway! You won't believe who we ran into. Appropriately enough."

"Don't make me guess, Jamie."

"Holly! He says he was assigned here to do a security overview thing, but I get the feeling that he kind of wanted to be here to make sure I got all settled in and he somehow got the Director to make up that assignment."

"He does seem quite fond of you."

"What? Davish is in there?" Al asked, suddenly paying attention.

Harry rolled his eyes and gave Al a thumb's up. "You're doing a bang up job of body guarding, Al. Keep it up."

Al gave Harry the finger behind Laney's back.

"Is Al misbehaving?" Laney asked.

"No, I'm not!"

"Uh, I think he might be, Mom."

"Nope! Not me!"

Harry snorted. "But anyway, I really couldn't say what's going on in there. Because Holly's in there. And so is Green. And when I left, they were bickering back and forth about the Southern thing. Don't even get me started on that. And as much as I love Tony, he doesn't seem the type to stop them from bickering, just from being violent."

Laney sighed.

"But maybe Holly and Green have actually joined forces! The dark prince of irked fanginess was being a brat when I left. If they both got irritated enough, they might have ganged up on him."

Laney laughed and settled an arm round his shoulder, dropping a kiss to his hair. "You're a special kid, you know that?"

"I love you, too, Mom." He gave her a tug forward and pulled out his card to unlock the door again. "And the room is just as tiny as I remember it. So I've got them clearing out furniture so I can get as much expansion as possible. I've got a really good feeling about this. The wood is very responsive and the magic here seems like it'll be quite helpful."

"Ooh, Jamie's doing magic?"

"Shut up, Al." Harry waved them into the dorm hallway, giving Al a little smile as he passed.

Al grinned, edging around the dressers and desks taking up most of the room in the hallway. "It's always a treat watching you make things go boom. Wait, that's Green. You make-"

"I make nothing. Nothing, I tell you. Not a thing. I didn't do it and you can't prove it. I wasn't there. I was out of the country. Washing my hair. On another planet. And this is the dorm room… Wow, I'm very impressed. Well done, PDs. And Holly."

Green grinned from where he was lounging on the bed sans everything but mattress. "Only things we couldn't fit in the bathroom and closets were the beds, just like you said."

Harry gave the nearly empty room a once over. Geoffrey glared at him from his own mattress only bed, looking like he'd been thoroughly ill used. Harry ignored him and nodded to the others in the room. "Very good. Excellent. I approve."

Hollen looked up from where he was lounging against the wall furthest from Green. Harry only then realized that Tony was standing in the middle of the room between them and he decided he didn't want to know. "So, what now?" Hollen asked, sounding bored.

"Now… everyone gets out." He grinned. "I need some space to work. And that means you, too, prince of darkness. Oh, glare at me all you want. I've been glared at by the best of them. Yours is impressive, but not impressive enough."

"And once we clear out of the room?" Hollen asked, strolling over.

"You don't have to actually leave entirely. You all can just hover adoringly in that small hallway there, watching me sit on the floor with my eyes closed for forty minutes, being awed and amazed at my ability to sit." Harry gave everyone a bright smile as he moved to do just that, settling cross-legged in the middle of the room. "Or you could go somewhere more exciting. Your choice. All except Tony. Tony gets to sit next to me and move the furniture around when I tell him. Ooh, exciting. I know you all must be aflutter with excitement, but please, try and control yourselves."

"Looks like his delusions of grandeur are starting to flare up again," Al put in from beside the hallway.

"You know what they say." Tony grinned as he settled cross legged across from Harry. "Delusions of grandeur are like bad bones and arthritis, they always flare up unpleasantly when the weather's about to change. I, for one, am quite grateful. I know if he ever tries to take over a country, we should be preparing for some pretty bad weather."

"That's me, your delusional barometer. Love the barometer, he's the only one you have."

Tony laughed. "So you keep telling us."

"You know why that is?" Hollen asked, poking Harry's leg with his foot as he passed. "Because you're the broken one from the store. Someone was obviously not paying attention when they bought you."

"It takes one to know one."

"Jamie?"

Harry tipped his head back. "Mom?"

"I'm going to explore the floor we're on, see what's here. I should be back by the time you're done. I'm not really interested in staring at you sit on the floor for however long, kiddo." She came over, leaning down to give the top of his head a fond kiss.

"Aw, Mom, was that really necessary?"

"An affectionate imp like you asking if it's necessary?" She felt his forehead. "No fever. Hm."

Harry pushed her hand away with an eye roll. "Point taken. Oh, hey." He looked to Al. "You get to stand outside the door and make sure no one comes in and interrupts."

"What? Me? Why?"

"Um… because you do." Harry grinned.

Al rolled his eyes but followed Laney out of the room without complaint.

Harry waited until he heard the door close, then eyed the glaring Geoffrey who was hovering just near the doorway. "Get moving, sexy boots."

He spluttered.

"Yeah, that's right, I said it, I called you sexy boots."

"Why?"

"Because you're sexy in your boots," Harry teased. "And your boots are sexy."

Geoffrey spluttered again.

"Yeah, that's what they all say. Now get moving."

Geoffrey glared.

"I can be even more obnoxious," Harry warned. "I'm tuned into the magic just right, I'm ready, I've got the room cleared, I want to get to work. The more stubborn you get, the more obnoxious I promise I can be."

"Yeah, he makes obnoxious curl up in a corner and cry for its lost innocence," Tony put in with a snigger.

"The things that come out of your mouth," Green said with a head shake, sitting on one of the desks.

"Ain't they just the sweetest ever?" Harry asked with a grin.

Geoffrey drew himself up stiffly and stalked out of the room, edging past Hollen as he slipped into the hallway, muttering to himself in French. Harry didn't hear the door open or close, but the French muttering stopped. Harry waited to see if there was anything for a few moments, then turned his sternest look on Hollen.

"Sheesh, what'd I do to deserve that?"

"If you start bickering with Green and I get distracted, or even worse, I have to stop what I'm doing, the world will never recover from the great sadness that will result. Are we clear?"

"Great sadness, huh?" Hollen asked.

"Very great. Great the likes of which you can't fathom."

"I think I can tolerate its presence for a little while for your sake."

"I'm not an 'it'," Green told him shortly.

Hollen glanced around. "Did anyone hear something? It sounded like-"

"Holly!"

"You know, it sounded rather like insignificance."

Harry stared at Hollen.

"What?"

Harry continued to stare. Tony sniggered.

"What? There's no need to stare at me like that."

Harry intensified his stare, eyes narrowing. Tony sniggered again.

"Okay, fine, I'll behave!"

"I think you should watch from the bathroom if you insist on staying in the room," Harry informed him. "Just so we're sure. I don't think you can help but be an ass."

"The bathroom?"

"Yes, the bathroom."

"You're sending me to the bathroom?"

"I absolutely am."

Hollen narrowed his eyes back, then sniffed and sauntered through the room into the bathroom, grabbing one of the desk chairs and sprawling out in it right in front of the doorway. "I like this better anyway."

"Glad to hear it." Harry took several centering, grounding breaths. "Now everyone be quiet and stay quiet," he muttered, closing his eyes. He cracked open an eye to look at Tony; Tony bit back another snigger. "Quiet."

"Yes, sir!"

"Seriously, people," Harry mumbled, closing his eyes again. He took several deep breaths and pulled down his outer Occlumency shields and rebuilt them, focusing on infusing them and himself with calm and focus. Once they were done and he was relaxed, he let go of his magic and aura dampening shields, slowly dropping each layer until the magic in the room was like wind against his skin, flowing and moving around him.

Harry let go of his sense of self and focused on being his magic, moving with the flow of his own aura as he waited for the magic in the room to notice him. It felt like it took some time and yet no time at all before the flows of magic in the room began to focus on him, moving closer, surrounding him, drifting over his own magic. There was no communication, no signal, just a sense of curiosity and reaching that could have been nothing and could have been Harry's own emotions, but he'd made sure to lock his Occlumency shields down tightly for just that reason.

Slowly the atmospheric magic around Harry began to flow with the movement of his magical aura, tuning into his magic, and it responded quickly to Harry's light touch as he drew it close, right against his aura. Harry called up the complex space-layering spell and began to cast it without focus, letting it diffuse over his magic as a whole.

The spell transferred easily to the magic touching his and from there it drifted into the room and into place with only the smallest of directing nudges, sprawling and stretching across part of a wall. Harry waited until that spell had anchored firmly before casting again, letting the spell be carried away by the magic filling the room, falling into place snugly beside the first. It took barely a dozen castings before the magic around Harry began to finish the spell once Harry had it half complete, and only a dozen more before the magic around Harry recognized a familiar pattern and began copying and anchoring the spell without any guidance.

It was a slow process, letting the spell copy and spread along the walls, each locking into place without a whisper of overlap, then beginning to build a new layer securely atop the first. Harry waited patiently, following the flows of magic and moving behind to add a touch of his own magic to every completed layer, holding the threads of his magic with great concentration. Harry's patience with the slow pace magic set for itself was rewarded as the magic stretched and molded and filled gaps in places Harry couldn't even sense, let alone hope to fill. And Harry didn't have to struggle with powering the spells; as the atmospheric magic wrapped itself in the spell and pressed into the walls, more magic flowed in from outside of the room, like water filling a freshly dug hole at the edge of the beach.

Gradually, with care, Harry began casting new spells, sound mufflers, personal wards and emotion feeders that would draw on the power of strong emotions to continue to strengthen and cement the spells so they would hold fast and secure. He began to link the threads of magic he held, making each separate part a link in the chain of the whole, chains that connected into webs that became sheets overlaying each other, each fitting snugly into the next.

As the magic grew, stretched and filled the room, Harry murmured vague directions, not even hearing his own voice, but knowing Tony heard him because the obstacles in the way of the chains and threads of the trailing spells disappeared. Harry kept his attention on the twisting, linking, webbing magic, holding tightly to the threads of his own magic as the complex space-layering structure built itself, the magic around Harry pulling tighter with each new layer added, wrapping around Harry in a cocoon that grew ever more constricting.

It wasn't until Harry felt like he could hardly breathe from the pressure that he realized how tightly stretched his own magic was, holding the links of every chain in every thread. He had greatly underestimated just how malleable the room's materials were and how amiable the ambient magic would be; he felt stretched, with no concept of where his body began and the magic ended. There was still potential left, more room for layering and building, but he quickly began to tie the threads together before he lost his grip on the magic he held and the entire structure collapsed.

Harry wrapped and braided and wound the threads together as he tied them, pulling each thread taut into the center of the room, until the bundle of threads were a tightly coiled, humming mass, stretched to the edge of breaking.

And then he let go.

For a single moment everything around Harry was pure magic as the stretched threads flew in every direction, and then the room was awash with flashes of green light that were bright even behind Harry's closed lids. The flashes radiated from the center of the room and flared out, spreading across the walls in rapid bursts, crashing together in sparks, and then the entire room glowed green for a moment before going dark.

Harry took a deep breath and gathered his magic into a gentle warding probe, then cast it around the room. The probe teased along the walls, searching for chinks, gaps, holes, frays, loose threads, bubbles and rough patches, but the whole was seamless and smooth.

"All present and accounted for?" Harry murmured without opening his eyes. The words felt strange in his mouth and he flexed his fingers slowly, getting used to the feel of being contained again in a body.

"Holy… Fuck…" Hollen muttered.

"I second that," Green added fervently.

Tony made a sniggering-giggling kind of noise.

Harry opened his eyes just enough to peer through his lashes, rolling his shoulders slowly. All he could see was the glow of the milky white shield that had formed around him and Tony to protect them from the true pressure of the magic. He closed his eyes again. "Someone hit us with a Stupefy?"

A moment later there was a flare of magic and Harry breathed evenly to keep himself from tensing and reinforcing the shield. When the spell hit, the shield cracked like a dropped egg and collapsed with little sparks of white light. Harry breathed in deeply, letting his awareness of magic expand beyond the confines of the shield before he began to pull his aura shields properly into place.

"Wait, when did you form a shield…?" Hollen asked.

"I didn't. Magic did. Part of the spell, forms itself. Quiet, I'm concentrating."

"Right…"

The last shield settled where it belonged, returning Harry to a more comfortable state of awareness. He opened his eyes slowly to find Tony giving him a completely goofy, not entirely there smile.

"You look like… you've had a very nice time or something," Harry muttered, trying to hold back a smart remark that would be sure to get back to The Spoon. "Along the lines of quite a bit more nocturnal fun than anyone should ever have."

Tony sniggered again. "Oh wow, yeah, wow…"

Harry freed one of his legs from its cross-legged position a little stiffly and nudged Tony's shoe with his own, prompting another snigger from Tony. "I think I broke him… I'm so not paying for him."

"It's like so much wow…" Tony murmured, swaying a little as he continued to grin goofily.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Hollen asked.

Harry looked over to the small hallway; it looked considerably further away and Harry worried for a moment that he'd offset the center point and skewed the expansion. Geoffrey was watching, however, eyes wide as he peered around the edge of the hallway, and Harry adopted the most casual look he could muster. "That's just magical backwash. It ought to fade in a few minutes."

"Yeah, do you believe in magic…"

Harry turned his attention back to Tony, eyebrows raised.

"Oh yeah, believe in the magic of a young girl's soul, believe in the magic of rock and roll, believe in the magic that can set you freeeee-"

"Tony," Harry interrupted. "Dude. Creepy. Seriously. Stop right now."

Tony sniggered and laughed to himself, continuing to sway as he hummed.

"Okay." Harry glanced towards the window and managed not to give a start with only the greatest of effort; as it was, he was glad he was looking away from the watchers as he gaped to see the window side of the room just as far away as the hallway side. He craned his head around to look behind him and then turned to look beyond Tony, only just managing to rearrange his expression into mild pleasure. "Not bad…"

"Not bad? Hah!" Green came into the room slowly, looking around with clear awe. "Damn, kid, there are just no words… This is freaking amazing is what this is. It's like tripled in size!"

"I hate to agree with the Southern…" Hollen muttered, strolling into the room as well.

"Quadrupled in size!"

"But this is pretty damned impressive," Hollen finished, giving Green a half-hearted look of distaste.

"It's not bad," Harry repeated, watching Geoffrey's continued wide-eyed and now full out flabbergasted staring from out of the corner of his eye as he shifted to get up. He put some care into the movements and was glad he did when he found he couldn't quite muster the strength to move yet; he sprawled casually on the carpet instead and folded his hands behind his head, hiding the faint shakiness of overexertion. It worried him for a second until he turned his head to watch the others moving in the room and the sheer size of the expansion drove home how strained his magic had been at the end of the casting. "It's not so bad at all."

"Believe in magic," Tony crooned to himself, still sitting and swaying in the same place.

"Are you sure he's okay?" Green asked.

"Yeah. It's just magical backwash. It happens. But with the way Tony seems to be enjoying the feeling, it might take more than a few minutes to fade." Harry looked to the continuing-to-gape Geoffrey. He didn't bother to stop his smirk. "Yeah, I have that effect on people. It's all in a day's work. No, don't bother thanking me. Oh, if you insist. Go right ahead and thank me. Go on. Really, go ahead."

The boy gaped, glared, then settled into a strangely affronted, uncertain, gaping glare that made Harry want to snigger himself.

Hollen came over to nudge Harry's side with his foot. "Are you okay?"

"Peachy dandy," Harry told him with a grin. "Just stretching out. I must have been sitting in that one place for nearly an hour."

"Forty-five minutes. And for someone stretching out, you're rather stationary."

"Stretching out and basking in accomplishment."

Hollen gave him a look that clearly conveyed how doubtful he was of Harry's story; in the next moment he'd kneeled and gathered Harry up into his arms. "Whoa, dude, what are you doing?" Harry asked, gripping Hollen's shoulders.

Hollen 'hmph'ed and glanced down at one of Harry's hands, then raised a brow, fixing him with a 'you can't fool me into believing you're all right' look. Harry gave Hollen a pointed, wide-eyed stern look, eyes flicking towards Geoffrey and then back. Hollen rolled his eyes.

"Do you believe in magic, do you believe in magic…"

"Kindly put me down, Holly."

Hollen slowly lowered Harry to his feet but kept a firm arm around him. The poking, prodding, prickles of his magic against Harry's was comforting, Harry found, but far more intrusive than usual with Harry's magic drawn in close, stable but quietly recovering from the strain of the casting.

"I'm going to marry this feeling," Tony declared loudly, making Harry jump slightly. "I have decided this. No more girls for me. I'm going to marry magic. That was the most mind-blowing-"

Harry wriggled his foot out of one of his sneakers and kicked it at Tony, making Tony start. "Oi! We don't need that sort of talk in here. Keep your generally amusingly inappropriate comments to yourself right now."

Tony picked up the shoe with a snigger that half turned into a giggle. "I have your shoe."

"That you do," Harry agreed. "I don't suppose someone would conjure me a chair so I can- thanks…?" Harry eyed the armchair that would have been completely normal looking if it hadn't been covered in a rubber ducky pattern. "I'm not sure you should be doing magic in your condition…" he muttered to Tony as he pulled away from Hollen. He found himself steady on his feet as he put his hands on his hips and gave the room a once over, but he didn't want to push his luck and moved to sit in the chair. It quacked when he sat down.

"I'm not sure he should be doing anything in his condition," Hollen opined, studying Tony with fascination as Tony grinned at his wand. "Damn. I wish I had a camera."

"Laney does," Green remarked mildly.

"I don't suppose someone would get me a drink of water…" Harry trailed off as Tony practically fell over from the force of his enthusiastic wand movements. A stone goblet appeared on the arm of the chair and Harry grabbed it before it fell over, and then studied it, wondering how someone managed to conjure stone with a rubber ducky theme. "Thanks again…" He took a sip. "Well, the water's nice and cold. I wish I had some juice, though."

"There're drink and snack machines in the lounges," Green said, pushing away from the wall he was leaning against. "I'll get you some juice. And your mom's probably waiting outside, too, so I'll let her know she can come in."

Harry sent Green a salute as he stifled a yawn.

As Green turned the corner into the hallway, Geoffrey slunk past him and properly into the room, skirting the wall next to the bathroom, studying the room almost as if he expected it to be a trick.

"How the hell do you know that?" Hollen called after Green. "You came up the stairs!"

"Lounges have snack machines," Green called back. "Basic logic." There was a sound and then some murmuring.

"Do we even know where the lounges are?" Hollen muttered.

Harry shrugged.

"Well, I hope everything went well," Laney called out from the hallway. "That took longer than- Oh." Laney stopped just inside the room, staring in shocked astonishment. "No… Jamie couldn't have done this…"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mom."

She looked over at him with shining eyes. "You did this?"

"Yeah. I've been practicing all summer for it, you know…"

Laney pressed a hand to her mouth for a moment, then practically ran into the room to throw her arms around Harry in a hug. "Oh, my baby!" She pulled him closer, knocking the goblet from his hand and sending cold water down his leg.

"Mom," Harry muttered, trying to hug back and push her away at the same time, "come on, you've seen me do magic before."

"I know, but- Oh! I'm so proud of you!"

"Mom…"

"You're growing up so fast!"

"_Mom_…"

Tony let out another half snigger, half giggle of delight. Laney pulled away in surprise to give Tony a very odd look. "What…?"

Harry dropped a hand to rub his soaked pant leg, wishing he felt energized enough to dry his pants with magic. "Magical backwash."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning he wasn't the originator of the spell, so when the magic washed over the room he was in the way of it and he's basically been flooded with too much raw magic at once." Harry sat back and crossed his legs, knee over knee, and mournfully considered his empty goblet. The chair quacked again.

"But what does- your butt just quacked, child."

"It just sort of overloaded his magic." Harry shifted and the chair quacked again. "So it just flooded him with powerful, raw magic, and it sort of fills you with pure energy and… er, makes you feel really good…"

Laney turned a searching look on Harry that made him uncomfortable. He was glad when Tony sniggered again with a, "Like an amazing… long…"

Harry shifted to pull his other shoe off and throw it at Tony to shut him up. The chair quacked again.

Laney's searching look turned puzzled. "Why is your butt quacking?"

"I don't know; Tony's the one that conjured the chair." Harry looked over at Tony. "Hey, can you make the chair stop that? I'm starting to feel like I'm squishing ducks, which is, you know, not cool."

Tony jabbed his wand at the chair with a narrow-eyed look that made Harry nervous for a moment, shifting away instinctively. Harry relaxed when nothing happened, not even a quack, and he sat up a little straighter as he fought back another yawn. "Hey…" He looked around the room. "Where's Al?"

"Holding the door open," Al called out from the hallway. "Since it locks when it closes. Waiting for- and here's Green."

"Thanks for the commentary," Harry called out.

"Yeah, well, we all know you're nosy. Ooh, multiple juices…" Al came into the room, head bent over a bottle of juice as he tried to pull off the protective plastic wrapping.

"He stole one of your juice bottles," Green informed Harry as he sidled around Al and over to the chair, opening the bottle of juice he held as he went. He handed it over after twisting the top loose.

"Jamie doesn't mind sharing," Al muttered. "Ah ha."

"If I want it, I'll steal it back." Harry accepted the juice and took a long drink.

"See?" Al looked up. "He can steal it ba… Holy fuck!"

Laney turned on her heel and smacked Al's arm twice before he even realized she'd pulled The Spoon from her purse.

"Woman-"

"Don't call me woman," Laney interrupted sternly, jabbing him with The Spoon.

"But the room! It's fucking hu- OW!" Al rubbed his arm with a frown, opening his mouth again.

"Hey, Al, why don't you help Green start bringing everything back in the room," Harry suggested before Al could bring down the wrath of The Spoon again. "Shoo, shoo, go on." He took another long drink.

"But I-"

"Great idea," Green said, grabbing Al's arm and dragging him into the bathroom.

Hollen peered over the back of Harry's chair, making Harry start. "You look like the king of rubber ducks," he informed Harry with a grin. "Oh!" He looked up to give Laney a charming smile. "As I understand it, you have a camera on your person?"

"Oh!" Laney pulled her purse around to pull out one of her cameras. "Great idea!" She snapped a picture of Harry.

Harry fixed Hollen with a completely unimpressed look.

Hollen's mouth twitched. "Actually, I was hoping to get some pictures of loopy over there." He nodded to Tony. Tony continued to examine Harry's shoes with an intense expression, not seeming to notice them at all.

Laney laughed and took a picture of Tony. Tony looked up with a start at the flash, then grinned and gave the camera a peace sign, sticking out his tongue.

"That's amazing," Harry murmured. "We are so getting copies of that."

"I am so putting copies of that on every bulletin board I can find at the USAS," Hollen murmured back.

"As amusing as he is like this," Laney said, turning her camera back on Harry and Hollen and taking another picture, "isn't there something you can do for him?"

"Ooh, pictures." Hollen came around the side of the chair to throw his arms around Harry in a hug and grin at the camera. Harry burst out laughing as Laney took another picture.

"You are something else," Harry snorted.

"Ah, but it's a wonderful something," Hollen preened, sitting on the arm of the chair.

"Jamie." Laney nodded to Tony. "Can you do something for him?"

"It has been more than the several minutes you predicted it'd take for it to wear off," Green pointed out, directing one of the bookshelves into the corner of the room with his wand.

Harry looked over at Tony. Tony was staring at the wall, looking blissfully out of it. Harry flexed his fingers, pooling wandless magic in his palm; the magic was still slowly strengthening and recovering from the strain. "It won't hurt him; it'll just make him act weird. I was the originator, so I was protected from the excess magic in the room, but he was in the room and in the way of the loose magic that had nothing to attach to after I locked the space-layering in place. But the excess ought to fade back into the room slowly. There's a chance it won't, if it's gotten too attached to Tony's magic, but it's always faded in practices." Harry shrugged. "I'll see about doing something in a bit if it hasn't gotten better."

"Well, I guess you probably know best," Laney murmured, glancing around the expanded room with a momentary odd look.

Harry smiled slightly and took a small sip, then glanced around the room. Geoffrey was standing stiffly in a corner of the room, glaring at the room as a whole as if it had deeply insulted him, but in a very nice way, and he wasn't entirely sure how to take it.

"Hey, prince of darkness-"

"Geoffrey," he cut in coolly.

"Fine. Hey, sexy boots-"

"What exactly does that mean?" Geoffrey demanded.

"You're a complete sexy package topped off with a pair of sexy boots," Harry teased, then glanced over at Laney. "Love you, Mom!" he said quickly, seeing her hand reach for her purse, eyes narrowing. "I mean, I love your boots. Great boots. Best boots ever. So, roommate, Geoffrey, prince of glares, do you like the room?"

Geoffrey glared.

"I can change it if you don't," Harry teased.

The boy managed to glare even more.

"Se- Boots?" Harry prompted. "I can keep asking all day and all night and all day and all night and-"

"I find it acceptable," Geoffrey cut in with a little growl.

"Fabulous! All you had to do was say so. And now I'll stop bothering you and leave you to set up your side of the room as you wish. See, I can be magnanimous. But, hey, boots, prince, adorable glaring one, how about you put the glare away for a little while, okay? If you wear it out right now, I won't have the pleasure of being glared at for the rest of the year. And it's such a cute glare."

Geoffrey immediately stopped glaring and stormed over to his bed.

"He loves me," Harry said with a wise nod and grin. "He only thinks he doesn't because of psychobabble, psychobabble, really big word, psychobabble, sprinkle of bullshi-uger, er, more psychobabble."

"Bullshi-uger?" Hollen asked with a laugh, getting up to stroll around the room. Green had to stop short as he guided a bookcase into the room before he knocked Hollen over with it, looking mightily tempted to do just that.

"Yes," Harry answered with a sniff. "Bullshiuger. It's like bullsugar, but with more shiu. Fancy you not knowing that. Everyone knows that."

"Nice save," Laney said with a look. "Not fooled. But I suppose bullsugar isn't yet Spoonworthy."

"I love you, Mommy."

"Uh huh."

Harry ruined his sweet look with a snicker and grin.

"Come," Hollen commanded, moving to pull Harry to his feet. "I wish to survey your wardrobe."

Harry snorted as Hollen tugged him persistently toward the bathroom. "Hold on." He turned back to the room. "While Holly's being weird over my clothes, how about getting the room set up a little?" he said, glancing between Al and Green.

"What'd'ya want?" Green asked.

"Well." Harry gave his side of the room an onceover. "I definitely want the bed in the corner, facing towards the door. And I definitely want the bed to be enlarged, at least a Queen size bed, if not a King, if the materials are malleable enough. Lower to the floor, too, and like my bed at home with the shelves in the headboard and no real footboard, but of course keeping the posts for the curtains."

"I'm going to focus on enlarging the drawers of your dresser and desk," Al put in.

"You're good at furniture expansion; you do that."

"Shall I just sit back and watch then?" Laney asked dryly.

"Oh come on, Mom, you've got a really important job." Harry gestured to Tony. Tony continued to lie on the carpet, studying the ceiling with intent. "Make sure he doesn't do anything too weird."

"I thought you were going to make him better."

"Give it time to wear off. Sometimes it's like a scab, Mom, and you just have to wait for it to come off all on its own. You tell me that all the time."

"Where do you want the bookcase, kid?" Green asked, leaning against it.

"Oh! Yeah. Wow, big room, not much in it… How about you put the desk in the corner opposite the bed and then we'll put the bookshelf next to it… and just put the dresser next to the wall… And I need more furniture in here."

"I think…" Green rapped on the side of the bookcase, listening closely. "Sturdy, thick wood, I think I can break this into two bookcases, but they won't be much longer than they are now. And we'll get you another dresser. But you definitely have to have a filing cabinet; you'll need to be able to organize all of your schoolwork somewhere you can refer back to it easily."

"Sounds like a shopping trip to me," Hollen said with a grin.

"I'll have to go next weekend."

"But we're looking at your wardrobe right now!" Hollen began to pull him along again. "And if there's shopping to be done this weekend, I am so going and we may just have to get you some clothes."

"My clothes are fine."

"We'll see." Hollen nudged Harry into the closet, and then quicker than Harry could follow, Hollen drew his wand, locked the door and summoned an overstuffed armchair. "Why is it always black paisley?" he grumbled under his breath, jabbing his wand at it to no effect.

"Because it's you?"

"Sit," Hollen ordered, pushing him into the chair.

"Er… what? You dragged me into the closet to sit even though I was sitting out there? That's a little weird."

"Precisely."

"And now I'm completely lost. Congratulations."

Hollen was silent, smiling slightly.

"And you're not answering."

"Quiet. I'm glorifying in being the one to confuse you for once instead of the other way around."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"And that's precisely my point; you were out there sitting. You, sitting. The Jamie I know isn't one to just sit back when there are exciting things to be done, and you can't even begin to tell me you aren't excited by the thought of setting up your side of the dorm. And no matter how well you were pulling off this image of his royal majesty, the princess of the kingdom of rubber ducky-"

"That totally contradicts itself."

"As well anything said about you should." Hollen waved his wand again and a black paisley footrest appeared. Another wave of his wand levitated Harry's feet onto it.

"So what's your point, Holly?"

"My point is – nice socks."

Harry gave him a thoroughly puzzled look as he glanced down at his socks, then gave a start at seeing that they were covered in yellow ducks. "Holy shit, when'd Tony do that?"

"When he made the chair stop quacking. And you didn't even notice. You're not as focused as you think you are."

"I… must not be." Harry wriggled his toes then slumped back in the chair. "Okay, maybe I need to sit a little longer."

"Maybe you should take a quick nap?"

"Oh come on."

"I mean it. I think you ought to take a nap." Hollen turned to open one of the suitcases, pulling out one of the others inside it and opening that curiously. "It'll help you perk up." He pulled out a pile of folded shirts and started to shake them out, studying them.

"And where's the logic there?"

Hollen held a shirt up against his chest, peering down at the manically grinning sun. "You mean to tell me there's magical theory you don't know?"

"We are seriously not the same size." Harry slouched further in the chair, crossing his legs at the ankle. "You can't be thinking you'll be borrowing my clothes."

Hollen held up another shirt. "I'm a morpher, princess; I can be any size I want to be." He considered Harry. "Though, perhaps I'll wait a few years. You are still a bit on the short and skinny side."

Harry gave him the finger.

"You know, I think Sunshine might be right…" He shook out a long sleeve shirt covered in the Milky Way Galaxy and held it up. "I am a bad influence on you."

"Tony's not much better," Harry said with a laugh.

"No, I imagine he wouldn't be."

"You were explaining theory."

"Ah, yes. When you're awake, your magic is in a higher state of readiness and awareness. A ten or fifteen minute nap can amount to an hour of just sitting back and relaxing." Hollen shrugged, frowning slightly at a Spinach Eaters Anonymous sweatshirt. "What is this?"

"Magic rock band."

"Any good?" He turned the sweatshirt over.

"It's pretty cool. Kind of geeky, though."

"Though with you, like with a lot of Aurors, your magic is likely hyperaware and relaxing isn't very relaxing for your magic." Hollen dug into another suitcase. "So a nap would probably amount to well more than an hour of relaxing." He pulled out a pair of jeans covered in patches of various styles and languages, everything from kanji to a screaming skull to a butterfly. "Wow."

"Oh, yeah, hey, if you ever go traveling anywhere cool, you could bring back a patch for my jeans." Harry leaned forward with a grin. "The Snitch, Marion Brady gave me over the summer and-"

"Marion Brady?"

"Dude, Marion Brady? Seriously? He works for the USAS now, but he was on the Sweetwater All-Stars for like seventeen years or something. They totally dominated the league in the seventies and early eighties before the Fitchburg Finches knocked them out of the number one spot, after Maximus Brankovitch moved from the reserve team onto the actual team. You know, Maximus Brankovitch, the hottest Seeker in the US leagues right now, right?"

"Yeah, I do follow Quidditch," Hollen said dryly.

"He's so freaking awesome. I think I would probably freak out if I were to ever meet him, he's that damn cool. He's the reason why I love the Finches. But yeah, Marion Brady, he works at the USAS as a flying trainer."

"Ah."

"You have no idea who I'm talking about, do you?"

"Not a clue."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, that patch," he pointed to a roaring dragon, "is from Healer Hopguard. He went over to… Hong Kong, maybe, or Taiwan, I can't remember exactly, but he was there for a healer conference thing and he found that one in the non-magical world and he picked it up for me. He kind of started the people bringing me patches thing because I put his patch on a pair of jeans and someone asked me where I got it and I told them and they picked up a patch somewhere and I added it to my jeans and pretty soon the word spread I was collecting awesome patches and here's the result."

"I like this one." Hollen turned the jeans around to show Harry a roaring panther patch against a purple background on one of the back pockets.

"Ooh, yeah, that one is from Australia, actually. I don't know where. But Meryl Camai, she's a USAS Potions Master, she picked it up while she was there on vacation. But I really like the white tiger on the front pocket, the snarling face, that one. It's from a magical shopping market in India. Healer Aarons gave it to me; he works in the LES, the law enforcement section of Merisma Center. He's an expert in Magical Bindings, like cult tattoos and scars, well, you know, I don't have to explain it to you-"

"I actually have no idea who most of these people are," Hollen put in wryly.

"No, of course you don't." Harry rolled his eyes. "Anyway, he got it from India while he was there on some sort of specialist call or something. And I have to tell you, I almost didn't want to put that one on my jeans. It smelled so good, like some sort of earthy, sweet, spices kind of smell. It was… wow is the only way I can describe it. But I liked the patch too much not to put it on my jeans, which worked out because I kept the box he had it in and the box smells like that and everything I put in the box comes out smelling like that, so I still win."

"Where'd you get the Care Bear?"

"Oh, Cheer Bear, that was Suntree."

"Ah, Sunshine." Hollen turned the jeans over to study a patch on the side of the thigh. "Is that the Eye of Horus? Where did you get that?"

"Oh!" Harry snickered. "Actually, amusingly, weirdly, I got it from someone I've never met-"

"Somehow I'm just not at all surprised," Hollen muttered.

"You see, Melissa Cruise is one of the nurses at Merisma, but she transferred last year from the Eryisdel Institute of Magical Medicine and she still has friends there. Well, one day she went shopping with one of her friends and bought that lobster patch that I put under the knee, and of course she explained to her-"

"So her friend bought you a patch?"

"I'm totally not done with this story. It's not nearly weird and cool enough."

"Very well. Continue."

"Anyway, her friend mentioned it offhand to a friend who mentioned it offhand to a colleague at the Museum of Magical History who mentioned it to another colleague who was going to Egypt for several months. So the patch is from Egypt. But the friend of the friend of the colleague, whatever, he saw it one day and I guess remembered that I was collecting patches and for some amazingly awesome and yet entirely bizarre reason he decided to buy it for me and he sent it through the friend of the friend of the colleague connection thing once he came back. I really need to meet this guy; he sounds way cool."

"Impressive." Hollen folded the jeans. "Take a nap."

Harry considered his socks for a moment and then rubbed his feet together to see if the ducks would quack; they didn't. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Will you take a nap if I let you?"

"Why is it so important that I take a nap? And no, that's not my question."

"Then I don't feel the need to answer it."

"Then I don't feel the need to take a nap."

Hollen pursed his lips, rooting through the shirts again. "It's rather odd to see you unbalanced, not quite yourself." He held a shirt up to his chest, peering down at the subtle color-changing fall trees that dominated the front. "You need to be ready to yell at me when I'm an ass to the Southern."

"You can't behave without my snapping at you?"

Hollen tossed the shirt aside. "Maybe I don't want to."

Harry pulled a knee up to his chest to smooth his fingers over the twisting body of the dragon. "Why didn't you just ask if you could come today?"

Hollen looked over, brows raised. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about. I had to work today. I don't just babysit you; I have a real job." He smiled in satisfaction. "And now you have to take a nap."

"Fine. You win. I'll take a nap."

"Good. I always win."

"Don't make me change my mind just to spite you."

"I'm the self destructive one here, princess."

"Yeah." Harry shook his head slightly as he slouched further into the surprisingly comfortable chair, resettling both feet on the footrest. "I don't know how well I'll be able to just fall asleep, though. And what are you going to do? Stare at me?"

"I shall survey your wardrobe while you nap." Hollen smirked. "I might even hang something up."

Harry rolled his eyes and wriggled into the chair a little more. "Whatever, Holly. Don't let me sleep more than ten minutes if I do manage it," he muttered, closing his eyes and centering himself. He heard Hollen shifting about a little, the rustle of cloth against cloth, but Harry focused beyond it, falling into meditation and to his surprise he felt himself drifting off without any more effort.

"Up with you, princess." Hollen gave the chair a nudge. "Up, up, up. Don't make me shoot sprays of cold water at you."

"Don't make me shoot ink all over your clothes," Harry muttered back, cracking open an eye.

Hollen gave him a smile that seemed to be attempting to look innocent; it just looked smirky instead.

Harry sat up with a stretch and yawn, looking around. "Wow, was that ten minutes?"

"More about twelve. I was feeling generous."

"And you managed to hang up a grand total of two shirts and a pair of slacks?"

Hollen sniffed. "I was busy expanding the dresser drawers at the back of the closet, thank you very much. It'll hardly be the Grand Canyon of storage furniture, but I figured you wouldn't want that anyway."

Harry yawned again and pushed himself out of the chair to stretch out a little, shaking off the nap. "Good on you."

"Naturally. How do you feel?"

Harry stopped moving to consider that, then let wandless magic pool in his fingertips; the magic gathered readily and smoothly. "I'm feeling great."

"And once again I'm right. No need to tell me, I know it. Oh, go on, say it."

"I think you are a bad influence on me," Harry said with a grin.

"And it's time for you to make your grand reappearance." Hollen flicked his wand over Harry, straightening Harry's shirt and smoothing it out. He flicked his wand again and smoothed Harry's hair back. "You have an earring? And you didn't tell me!"

Harry reached up to touch the simple silver stud. "I just got it this weekend. It feels kind of weird, to be honest, but everyone tells me that I'll get used to having something in my ear soon enough."

Hollen reached out to turn Harry's head this way and that, fingers gripping Harry's chin with gentle firmness. "I think you'd look good with an emerald. Or onyx. But you definitely look better in silver rather than gold; good choice there."

"It's not really a fashion statement," Harry said with a laugh. "It has one of those picture blurring charms on it so people can't take my picture."

"Oh. Oh…" Hollen pouted. "Does that mean our pictures earlier are going to be blurred?"

"No. I have the charm off right now. Though believe me, with how often Mom's pulled out that camera, I have definitely wanted to 'accidently' turn it on."

"Little princess Jamie, camera shy! Say it isn't so!"

"It isn't so," Harry said dryly, opening the closet door and pausing to take a look at himself in the mirror. "But when it's your mother pulling out her camera to take a picture of you under every tree and building sign and when you meet every teacher…"

"Fun."

"Definitely." Harry ran his fingers back through his hair then turned and headed back into the dorm room, pausing in the doorway to give the room a once over.

"Ah, there you are!" Green pushed aside the box of books he was going through to cross the room and snag Harry's hand, pulling him into an impromptu waltz around the room.

Harry laughed. "What's this about?"

Green leaned in to mutter, "Honestly, I just thought it'd annoy Davish."

"Green, don't start things when he's behaving," Harry hissed.

"And I thought we could break in your room with a bit of dancing. No? No dancing? Did you see the bookshelves?" He turned them to face one corner of the room.

"Whoa. How'd you manage to expand them that much? I'm impressed."

Green whirled them around the rubber ducky chair. "They were exceptionally responsive is all I know. And your desk?" He turned them to face the corner again.

"I guess everything at Hathorne just responds amazingly to magic," Harry said, giving the longer desk a quick study. "Good job. I really like the little cubby holes you added along the back."

"I took a cue from your bed. And speaking of…" Green whirled them over to the bed before pushing Harry onto it. "Al and I worked out the mattress, too."

Harry pushed himself up with a laugh and gave a little bounce on the bed. "Ooh, nice. What did you do?"

"We took all of the extra bed padding you brought and Transfigured it into a pillow top layer for the mattress."

"Though I'll tell you, expanding the mattress to fit your new bed frame wasn't easy," Al put in from where he was setting up Harry's stereo on top of the dresser.

"You guys are the best." Harry gave another bounce on the mattress, giving the room another onceover. Geoffrey had put up the curtains on his bed and was hidden in the shadows, nothing but a dark shape and watchful, faintly shining eyes. Tony was still sprawled on the floor, wand lying across his stomach, grinning away to himself. "Hey, where's Mom?"

"She went to find the drink machine," Green said, pulling Harry off of the bed. "She should be back in a couple of minutes."

"What the hell were you guys doing in the closet?" Al asked, sending an uncertain glance Hollen's way.

Hollen sprawled in the ducky chair, following Tony's gaze to a spot on the ceiling. "Talking fashion, Marsen, fashion and manicures and spa days- Oh!" Hollen turned an expectant look at Harry. "My birthday gift; you did spa, didn't you?"

"No, actually, I didn't. I decided to save it for something like exams or something, when I'd need to relax."

"Ah. Acceptable choice."

"Glad you think so." Harry looked up to see what had captured Tony's attention so completely. "Way awesome…" He moved to sprawl on the floor next to Tony. "Did you do that?"

"Yep."

Harry studied the wildly colorful solar system that stretched across the half of the ceiling that was his. "That completely kicks a-"

"Your mother," Al coughed. "Just walked in."

"-apples," Harry finished. "That completely kicks apples."

Laney smacked Al with The Spoon as she passed.

"Ow!" He rubbed his arm. "What'd I do?"

"That's for being a part of the bad language problem," she told him sternly.

"But I stopped him!"

"You stopped him only because I'd just walked into the room."

Harry caught Al's eye and mouthed, "You're my hero." Al grinned back, looking pleased.

"Yeah, seriously," Tony grinned, "it implies that you're being an accessory to bad behavior on a regular basis."

"See, Mom? Tony's acting a little more normal!"

"And I will next fill the bathtub with rubber duckies," Tony declared.

"…It seems I spoke too soon." Harry climbed to his feet. "Time to get this room in order," he announced, clapping his hands.

"Ah, the Jamie I know and love," Hollen said, grinning around the chair.

"And you can get up and help me get the bed worked out. I want reds, deep reds, like dark oak with a hint of red underneath. And, Green, I've had a moment of genius. I don't want the bookshelves against the wall; I want one of them with its side against the wall and the other adjacent to it, in the corner of the room there."

Green looked to the corner of the room and back to Harry. "I don't follow."

"I want the ends of the bookshelves to touch, like the bottom of a V, and have one of the ends against the wall so it creates a little blocked off area behind it where I can have the desk and eventual filing cabinet and all of that. It'll be like a little private room."

"Ah." Green considered the bookshelves. "Should I make the top of them touch the ceiling?"

"Hm… Yes, I like that, go ahead and do that."

"Is there any unpacking left to do in the closet?" Laney asked.

Harry snorted. "Holly's idea of surveying my wardrobe does not include actually putting anything away."

She glanced between Harry and Hollen. "You were in there a good twenty minutes. What on earth were you doing?"

"He was busy expanding dressers while I was busy lounging fabulously and seeing if there was anything I could possibly consider borrowing," Hollen put in, giving Laney a charming smile. "Alas, he's short and skinny and I am not."

Laney rolled her eyes. "Of course. I guess I'll start unpacking your clothes."

"The closet!" Harry exclaimed.

Everyone turned to stare at Harry, even Tony.

Harry smiled brightly. "I wanted to expand the closet a little. Al! You're halfway decent at space-layering from all of your ward work-"

"Yes, yes, I'll go expand the closet for you."

"You will not touch my stuff," Geoffrey put in sharply from the shadows of his bed.

"I hadn't planned on it," Al told him, putting down the stereo remote and picking up his wand. "Unless you're taking up space in both closets, and in that case-"

"You'd call boots to get his stuff," Harry informed him.

"My name is not-!"

"But don't get too excited, Al," Harry continued, ignoring Geoffrey. "I've already been in my closet, after all, and there's nothing but my stuff in there. But it doesn't need to be a massive expansion, so you can probably expand without taking everything out of the room."

"Got it." Al headed for the bathroom. Tony scrambled to his feet to follow. When Al turned in the doorway, he jumped back with noise that sounded surprisingly like a small shriek at coming face to face with Tony.

Harry grinned slowly. "Did you just-"

"No!"

"You did. You just-"

"No! I didn't!"

"Shrieked like a little girl."

"No! And you can't prove it!" He hurried into the bathroom.

"That was so adorable!" Tony called after him.

"Being around you is better than a comedy special," Hollen informed Harry.

"That was great." Harry motioned for Hollen to follow him over to the bed and set him to changing the color of the wood while Harry stripped the bed of the curtains and piled them onto the mattress thoughtfully. "You know, I don't actually know a spell that'll separate the curtains into multiple layers."

"Why do you want multiple layers?" Hollen asked, wand movements pausing in mid-motion.

"See, the curtains are rather thick so they'll block out all of the light, which is definitely a win when it comes to taking a nap with the lights on in the rest of the room or whatever-"

"And the thicker material will hold silencing spells and privacy spells better," Laney added.

Harry turned to look at her with a slowly growing grin. "Yeah…"

"What? You think I don't pay attention just because I can't do magic?"

"I love you, Mom."

She rolled her eyes with a laugh. "I'm going to finish putting your books on the shelves, now that Green has them in place."

"Here, I'll split the material. You change the color of the bed." Hollen took the curtains from him. "I assume you want something kind of thin to balance out the thick?"

"Yeah. I want something that'll give me privacy but still let some light in."

"That I can do…" Hollen began to flick and swish and slide his wand over the curtains. Harry watched in fascination as the curtains rose in the air and shook themselves out before a gauze-thin layer of material began to peel itself free.

"So when are you coming to dinner, Hollen?" Laney asked from behind the bookshelves.

Hollen glanced over at Harry for a moment before turning his attention back to splitting the material. "We'll have to see."

"Jamie intends to visit home at least every other weekend, though I'm sure he'll be home far more."

"That's what she thinks," Harry mouthed to Hollen.

"He's only required to spend three nights a week at school, after all," Laney continued after a moment.

"I'm sure Jamie'll be home more than enough after he gets settled in," Green said, coming around the bookshelves to grab a box of books and take them behind the shelves again. "But the first few months he'll probably be here more often. He does want to be more social."

"That's right, Mom. I want to be more social."

Hollen raised his brows at Harry. "Is it even possible for you to be more social?"

"We'll find out, won't we?"

Hollen rolled his eyes. "And you're going about changing the color in the wrong way." He reached out to pluck Harry's wand from his hand. "You want to start with a dark, rich red and then slowly add brown until the red is showing through just enough to give you the effect you want."

"Crap. I'm not sure how to do that either. It's not really painting color on, it's changing the actual properties of the wood, so I don't know how to layer color like that…"

"My, this is quite the humbling night for Jamie, isn't it?" Hollen smirked.

Harry raised his brows and gestured around the enlarged room with both arms, then crossed his arms. "Shall we talk about humble pie?"

Hollen smiled slowly.

"There are rubber duckies."

Harry turned toward the bathroom. Tony was standing in the doorway, holding a purple rubber duck up to the light with a thoughtful look. "Thanks. I think. You know, you seem to have a very odd, unexpected obsession with rubber ducks."

Tony smiled brilliantly. "I had a rubber ducky," he confided, coming into the room. "I found one once in a trash can. It had some sort of dark stain on the side, like ink or paint or something, but there was nothing wrong with it."

"Ah."

"Got it! Hah! This closet is mine!"

"Actually, Al, technically, it's mine," Harry called back, reaching out to grab his wand back from Hollen.

"Feh." Al appeared in the doorway. "I'm still triumphant."

"Good." Laney came around the bookshelves. "You won't mind helping me put Jamie's things away."

"Er. I'm not that triumphant. It's just a little bit triumphant. It's like a pinto bean of triumphant. I wouldn't say it's quite-"

"Get moving." Laney put her hands on her hips.

"So that's where you get that look," Hollen mused. "Hands on hips, look of 'the universe shall rearrange itself to my liking now, thank you', the-"

"The look is all his," Laney interrupted.

"Yeah, Mom's look is of the 'I'm the mother and I'm always right' variety," Harry pointed out.

"And right now that look is saying 'get your butt in the closet and help me unpack', so get going," Laney told Al.

"Aww, I can't keep Marsen out here with me?" Hollen asked with a pout, blowing Al a noisy kiss when Al looked over in surprise. Al's eyes widened and he practically fell over his own feet to stumble back into the bathroom and out of sight.

"That was evil," Harry remarked. "Amusing, but evil."

"I second that. But since it got him into the closet, I'm not going to tell you to be nice," Laney said, shaking her head.

"I almost feel the need to make some sort of smart ass comment about all of this going in and coming out of the closet," Hollen remarked, mouth twitching.

"Spare us." Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, Mom, can you find the rest of the bedding stuff and unpack it? And open the bags with the sheets and pillows and stuff we already pulled out? I'll be making the bed soon."

She nodded as she disappeared into the bathroom.

"Why does your mother seem to think I'll listen to anyone but you?" Hollen asked, turning to Harry. "And why do you seem to think that you're getting out of doing your share of fixing this bed up?"

Harry raised his brows. "Does it ever seem strange to you that you're more willing to listen to a twelve-year-old boy than anything else? Even when you're surrounded by-"

"Does it ever seem strange to you that you're one of the few people who approach a conversation with me as something to be enjoyed rather than an undesired venture into hostile territory?" Hollen interrupted coolly.

"You're the one who lays out the land mines and puts up the barbed wire and has snipers in every tree of your conversations."

Hollen glanced away for a moment. "The chicken or the egg, child. And you still seem to be under the impression that I will be doing both the curtains and the color modification on the wood."

"Because you are. And once you do it, I'll know how it's done and I'll be able to do it myself from now on."

"Whatever." Hollen went back to flicking his wand this way and that over the curtains before turning his attention to the color of the wood. Harry watched thoughtfully for a minute, and then reached out to cover Hollen's wand hand in mid-cast to stop him. "Actually, a little lighter than…" Harry trailed off as he felt the spell coming from Hollen's wand change, the magic giving a ripple as Harry's unconscious intention altered the spell. The wood changed to just the color Harry wanted.

Hollen turned his head slowly to look at Harry, brows raised. "Did you…?"

Harry jerked his hand from Hollen's. "No."

"You… really did."

"No. That's not…"

"But you did."

Green peered around the bookcases. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Harry told him firmly.

Hollen turned to look at Green. "Jamie is performing more miracles."

"I am not."

"You are a very trying child," Hollen informed him.

Green moved to lean against the side of the bookshelf, crossing his arms as he considered them. "So what just happened?"

Harry glanced around the room. Geoffrey had moved to sit at the edge of his bed, expression sullen but intent as he watched them avidly. "Memo to all involved: we'll talk later." Green opened his mouth. "And I've changed my mind; I want a roll top desk. You can do that, can't you?"

"Sure thing." Green considered him for another moment before turning and disappearing behind the bookshelves.

Harry turned back to the bed as Hollen directed the two sets of curtains to hang. "Do you remember what my sheets looked like? That deep green?"

"Not remotely."

"Hold on." Harry crossed the room to the bathroom; just outside of his closet his sheets and pillows had been piled up and Harry grabbed the sheets and blankets and made his way back to the bed. "Ta dah, deep, dark green." He dropped the pile of tangled bedding onto the bed.

"You're making the bed," Hollen informed him. "Don't think I'm doing that, too."

Harry waved his wand and the bed made itself. "I can handle that."

"You're a brat."

"Yeah, but you love me." Harry glanced to the bathroom and waved his wand vaguely in that direction. "Hey pillows, get your pillowy butts out here and on my bed where you belong."

"Child!"

"Mom?"

"Warn a person the next time you decide to make your pillows go marching by on parade!"

"Yes, Mom!" Harry bit back a snicker. "Sorry, Mom!"

Green moved around the bookshelves to grab another box of books, stopping to study Tony; Tony continued to conjure a line of rubber ducks along the top of the dresser, looking well pleased with himself. "Are you sure you can't do anything about his being high on magic?" Green asked.

Harry looked over, and then snorted a laugh. "Yeah, I can do something. Amusing, but you're right; it's time to drain off that excess magic since he seems to be clinging to it."

"It shouldn't be surprising." Green opened the box of books at his feet to pull out the list of box contents. "Considering his ability with wandless magic."

"Yeah. I'll do something in a minute."

"Are you doing anything with these curtains?" Hollen asked from the window. "Or are you going to wait until…" He nodded to Geoffrey.

Harry studied the curtains. "I think leave them for now."

"Well, your call. And you know, I have no idea where we are in the building; I wonder what your view is…" He pulled the curtains back, letting the weak afternoon sunlight spill into the room.

Geoffrey made a hissing, spitting sound and jerked away, rolling back into the shadows of his bed. Everyone turned to stare in his direction.

"There is no way he's that sensitive to sunlight…" Green muttered. "They'd never let him attend school."

Harry shrugged and waved a hand at the curtains, pulling them closed, then strode over to Geoffrey's bed to lean over him with concern. Geoffrey was covering part of his face with his hand. Harry reached out to push the hand away, then gave a start as Geoffrey seized his wrist too fast for Harry to react, jerking Harry's wrist down next to his bared fangs. Harry stared at him in surprise as Geoffrey hissed warningly.

Harry licked his lips once he recovered from his surprise. "Lower your wands," he said calmly after a moment. "That means you, too, Holly."

Geoffrey's fierce expression flickered for a moment, eyes darting from Harry's face to the room and then back.

"I know you're not going to bite me," Harry told Geoffrey quietly. "You would immediately lose your place at the school if you did."

Geoffrey's eyes narrowed and he twisted Harry's wrist away from his mouth slightly, grip tightening; it didn't hurt, but it was firm enough to suggest it easily could.

"Just so you know," Harry told him, voice dropping a little, "every person in this room is an Auror. Bodyguards. And you happen to be manhandling what they're trying to guard."

Geoffrey's expression flickered again, to the room and then back to Harry; he slowly released Harry's wrist.

"I was just making sure you were all right, okay? I didn't mean to invade your personal space or whatever." Harry slowly lifted his hand to brush Geoffrey's hair from the side of his face. "And you are. Not even light sunburn." Harry gave him a cheerful smile. "I take it it's just some sort of instinctual reaction or something?"

His roommate glared and shifted away from his hand.

Harry couldn't resist tapping his nose lightly. "You could try to be nice, you know," he said conversationally. "But fine, I'll leave you to grumpville if that's what you want."

Geoffrey hissed silently.

Harry grinned. "You know, I had a friend who had kittens once and they did that all the time. It's just as adorable now as it was then."

Geoffrey returned to glaring.

"Suit yourself." Harry moved to pull away but was stopped short as Geoffrey gripped a handful of his shirt and jerked him back down. "What…?" he trailed off as Geoffrey slowly lifted a cool hand to cover Harry's forehead, then push the hair back.

Geoffrey pushed him away with a gasp. "You- Harry Potter!"

"Yes," Harry agreed, straightening up and running his hand down his shirt, concentrating on repairing the threads that had been strained and broken. "And you would have known that if you'd let me finish introducing myself earlier. See what you miss by being a jerk?"

"Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, Harry Potter. With, in supporting roles," he gestured behind him, "the PDs-"

"I'm not a PD," Hollen cut in.

"You are now. You've pulled your wand in my defense more than once today, you qualify."

"Wonderful."

"Besides, I'm tired of thinking 'the PDs, and oh yeah, Hollen, too'."

Hollen snorted.

"So," Harry said brightly, "hello, Prince of Vampires, meet the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, vanquisher of evil and things that end in 'oom'. It's quite lovely to meet you. You're quite welcome for the massive expansion of the room, no need to mention it. That's right, you didn't mention it. But go ahead and feel free to settle yourself in instead of sitting on your bed, if it pleases you; if it doesn't, feel equally free to glare and sulk on your bed. You do it very well, I must say."

Geoffrey scowled.

"Hey, it's a new expression!"

Geoffrey glared.

"Ah well, it was nice while it lasted." Harry gave Geoffrey's hand a friendly pat, too quickly for Geoffrey to jerk his hand away. "I'll be on my side of the room. I'd add 'if you need something', but I doubt you would ask me even if you did. So, try not to implode or something over here, okay?"

"Implode or something?" Hollen asked as Harry returned to his side of the room.

Harry shrugged. "It seems more his thing." He looked to where Tony was lounging back against the dresser, a line of rubber ducks behind him. "Tony… I think it's time to do something about your magical high."

Tony held out a rubber duck. "Here you go."

Harry stopped in front of Tony to take the duck; it was black with green snakes all over it and sporting a pair of fangs. "Nice. Cute." Harry put the duck down between a purple camouflage duck and a white duck covered in small rainbows and rested his hand on Tony's arm, lowering his shields as he half closed his eyes. Tony's aura was infused with magic that was half unfocused and raw and half spell backwash, still lingering because Tony's own magic had wound around it. "Well, no wonder you're randomly making ducks," Harry snorted.

"For your information, I am not randomly making ducks," Tony declared. "I am quite purposefully making ducks."

Harry gave his arm a pat. "But I can't just snap my fingers; the magic needs to go somewhere now that you've put your sticky magical fingers all over it."

"You have a lot of space in the middle of the room," Green remarked, coming around the bookshelves and leaning against the bedpost, studying the empty space. "Chairs? A table?"

"Yeah, but that'd be conjuring and no matter how strong the conjuration is, it's still not going to last forever." Harry moved to sprawl on the bed. "Anyway, I'd want… well, there's grumpy…" Harry sat up. "Hey, Geoff, how-?"

"Geoffrey," he cut in coldly. "My name is Geoffrey."

"Geoffy, then-"

"_Geoffrey_."

"Boots. That's your new name. Boots. How do you feel about getting a table and some chairs, maybe a loveseat, an armchair, coffee table, for the big empty area in the middle of the room?"

Geoffrey's lips thinned and his eyes moved over the middle of the room, looking like he wanted to dislike the idea, but he liked it too much to even look like he disliked it. "I suppose," he said at last, voice disinterested.

"Great. So we'll get some. Maybe I can even convince Mom to let me buy a leather loveseat and armchair…"

Hollen smirked. "I'll buy them for you."

"Ordinarily I'd probably protest just a little bit on a purchase like that, but it's leather. I never protest when it comes to leather, lest someone take me seriously. So I win."

"You're going to need a small table or somethin' to put Serish's terrarium on," Green added. "Where do you plan on putting it?"

"I think I'll put it next to the desk, but I will have to, you know," he nodded towards Geoffrey, "so it might be…" Harry trailed off, studying Tony as Tony began to place the ducks around the room. He glanced at Geoffrey's bare, untouched side of the room, then back to Tony. "Or maybe…"

"Maybe?" Green prompted.

Harry grinned and got off of the bed to saunter into the middle of the room, studying Geoffrey's side of the room. "So, Geoffrey, your side of the room is looking pretty sad in comparison to mine."

Geoffrey gave him a frosty look. "I was not given a special allowance for others to come in and set up my room for me. If you were given special allowance at all."

"No worries, I was," Harry assured him cheerfully. "Actually, since my mom was all weird about me being away from home we talked to the school and this summer I demonstrated that I was more than capable of making the dorm room awesome beyond measure, so the administration here said I could come the day before classes and get some help setting up." Harry put his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels. "I guess that means you can't do most of this stuff on your own, huh? That kind of sucks."

The frosty look turned frigid.

"But… I'm feeling supremely magnanimous, so, roomie-"

"Geoffrey."

"You are totally going to lose this name game," Harry told him. "Really. You can just ask Holly. I win. So, roomie, seeing as how we're going to be spending a lot of time together in the future and-"

"If you spew some manner of empty sentiment at me, I will bite you."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm trying to be nice over here. Shut up and let me be nice. As I was saying, I don't suppose you'd like any help getting set up, changing anything, expanding anything, you know, whatever you might want done? I've got a lot of help and all and you don't have anyone and if I do it, it's not against the rules. Roommates are allowed to help each other."

"Do I look like I need help from a twelve-year-old?"

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"Ooh, big difference. But I was just saying…" Harry turned to his side of the room again. He winked at Green as he waved his hand at the last box of books and it floated past Green and around the bookshelves. Another wave of his hand plumped all of his pillows and settled them just so on the bed. He flicked his fingers at the rubber ducks Tony was setting up, straightening them, then pointed at the bookshelves, humming under his breath as he focused on summoning some of his personal books he'd seen Green unpack earlier. The books floated lazily around the shelves and settled themselves neatly into one of the cubby holes in Harry's headboard.

"I transfigured part of the bottom shelf of one of the bookcases into a cabinet with doors," Green mentioned, watching as more books floated past him to settle on the bed.

"Great. I'll layer that with charms in a minute and I'll store my Potions things there. And then I'll-"

"Fine."

Harry turned to face Geoffrey with a politely curious look. "Did you say something?"

Geoffrey crossed his arms tightly, scowl returning. "If you desire to throw your magic around this greatly, very well, I will allow you to turn your attention to my things. And then when you die from magic overuse, the room will be mine and well set up and the day will be much more overcast and pleasant."

Harry bit back a grin. "My, aren't you just a cheery little moonbeam. So what do you want?"

Geoffrey scowled all the more fiercely but slowly turned to consider his half of the room.

Harry glanced back and motioned Tony over as he summoned the desk chair with a casual hand movement. "Hey, Tony, have a seat." Tony sat down, looking intrigued as he glanced between Harry and Geoffrey.

Geoffrey turned with a smirk. "My bed should be much bigger. What they provide is hardly adequate. The size of yours, but I like the style as it is, and turned so the foot faces your side of the room, placed in the corner. I want the bed lower, only about a foot from the floor, with double curtains like your own, both curtains thick, heavy material, dark red. I require two bookshelves, one placed at the foot of the bed that reaches the ceiling, the other the same, but longer, and placed opposite yours to create a private space for my desk. The desk will be larger with smaller drawers than it presently has, against the wall, the wood several shades darker than it is now. The desk requires a wing chair of a small, more comfortable size for this room, thick material covering it with appropriately placed cushioning charms. You do know what a wing chair is, correct?"

"I'm familiar with it," Harry snorted, leaning forward to lean on Tony's shoulders as he began to slowly unwind the magic that wasn't Tony's and bring it within easy reach. The process was slow, but since he couldn't actually seize onto Tony's magic and pull it free, it was just a matter of untangling the knot.

"I desire a display cabinet here, glass front. I also desire a chair much like the monstrosity covered in ducks, but most certainly not covered in ducks. The chair will be black material. And no, there is no need to concern yourself with making it permanent, I have a chair I will be sending for from home. Lastly, I require the dresser be larger and taller with darker wood to match the desk."

"Is that all?" Harry asked once Geoffrey had fallen silent and seemed done. "Nothing more to add, your royal majesty?"

"I hardly anticipate you being able to accomplish half of what I require as it is," he said with a sniff, getting up from his bed to stroll over to the window. He leaned against the wall, mouth turning up in a small, smug smirk. "I am well versed enough in magic to know just how much energy you have expended in expanding this room."

"Yeah…" Harry looked Geoffrey's side of the room over slowly, making a show of looking uncertain as he began to silently set up spells with the magic he was siphoning off of Tony, magic that leapt eagerly to do his bidding once he'd freed it from where it didn't belong or want to be, magic that was so eager to be focused on something after being contained idle that it was going to make this far easier than any other complex spell casting Harry could remember doing. He had to fight back a smile. "You know… well… since I'm doing this, favor sort of thing, being nice, maybe you could agree to letting me keep my pet snake."

"I see. You wish to help me so that you may get something in return."

"Um… yeah, pretty much. Though, honestly, you're totally right, I completely expended massive amounts of magic earlier. I might have to do some of this tomorrow or later in the week or something. But it'll totally get done. I promise. And then you'll be totally grateful and let me have my snake, I'm sure."

"I am not a nice person," Geoffrey told him coolly.

"Kid's just signed his death by kindness sentence," Hollen muttered.

"Aw, come on," Harry whined, ignoring Hollen. "You'll have an awesome side of the room. You know you want to."

"No, I do not."

"Okay, how about this… if I manage to get most of the changes done tonight, can I have my snake? I mean, look at this way, I'll be so damned tired afterwards, I probably won't be bugging you for a while."

"With that much changing," Green muttered, "you'll be lucky if you can keep up in class for a while."

Harry glanced back to give Green a mock frown and winked when his back was to Geoffrey. He turned back slowly, sliding his hands down from Tony's shoulders and hugging him from behind.

"Is this a stall tactic?" Geoffrey asked him. "It seems as though you find yourself unable-"

"No, no, no, I'm just gathering my strength, man, formulating a plan of attack, you know."

"I strongly doubt this."

"Doubt away. I'm totally scheming over here, that's all. I am full of schemes. I'll start doing magic soon. And then you will be bedazzled."

"You're going to cover him in rhinestones and other sparkly things?" Hollen asked with a snigger.

"Shut up, Holly." Harry put the last individual spell in place and began to weave a series of trigger spells into the framework. He had to focus more on those so everything wouldn't fall apart, thankful that the Magurist connection to magic meant that he didn't actually have to hold half of the magic he had set up or it'd never have worked. Harry was vaguely aware of Geoffrey muttering to himself, something smug and all knowing with the occasional little jab about Harry being a child who attempted too much.

"So…" Harry stood up again, folding his arms atop Tony's head. "I've schemed my schemes and I have to tell you, Geoffrey, this is some complicated magic."

"I am aware. And you appear to have been straining, and yet not even so much as a color has altered or a piece of furniture moved."

"You really don't think I can do this, do you?"

"I am quite certain you will fail."

"Man, you're just mean."

Geoffrey smirked a little more.

"Dude, I guess I'm just lucky that my snake coming to stay isn't contingent on me getting this done tonight. I really like that snake."

"You should think before you start making deals you can't live up to," Green added. "You're just lucky you didn't get him to agree to the snake coming based on this. You'd be out of luck and then you'd be depressed and pouting for a month and we'd have to deal with it."

Harry held back a grin through sheer force of will and some strengthening of his Occlumency shields as he made a note to do something amazingly nice for Green to thank him for playing along. Instead he shot a huffy look over his shoulder. "Dude, Green, don't-"

"I like snakes," Geoffrey interrupted. "But I do not like you. Therefore I will allow you to have your snake if you live up to your promised actions tonight."

"Man, you're totally being mean to me," Harry frowned at Geoffrey, even as he gathered up the last of the triggers and wound them together into one.

Geoffrey crossed his arms, looking well pleased with himself. "Yes."

Harry sighed. "And that's the only way I'm going to get my snake?"

"Yes."

"I guess that means I've got to really try…" Harry pulled out his wand. "Here goes nothing…" He flicked his wand at the bed, making it with a simple spell that triggered all of the others. Harry felt the excess magic rush from Tony, through him and out in an instant that left Harry breathless and Tony slumping dazedly.

For a long moment nothing happened, and then that half of the room was a flurry of activity, things changing, stretching, moving, turning, and some things appearing from thin air. As the last curtain fluttered into place and the shade on the lamp that magic had added all on its own stopped spinning, Harry casually summoned one of the plain yellow ducks from his dresser and directed it onto Geoffrey's newly created display cabinet. "Have a duck."

Geoffrey gaped.

Harry smiled sweetly before turning his attention to Tony. Tony was looking less dazed, though he was staring at the duck with dawning realization.

"Did I…?"

"You really do have a most fascinating fascination with rubber ducks," Harry grinned. "You'll have to tell me all about it some time."

Tony blushed.


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Link to previous chapter review responses found in profile. Ygroup has detailed and past responses, house layouts, may have additional scenes. New scene division: (0)0(0)0(0)0(0)0(0)

Reviews: Pure Happiness

Betas: Super, massive, tons of love for Shadow and Styx. Without them, my chapters would be much sadder. And super hugs love for my muse/ sounding board Megan.

AN: I'm back! Sorry it took so damn long, but real life has a way of being real life. I must admit, I haven't been keeping up with messages or reviews, though I'll be checking them now. I've felt too bad about the super delay to poke at them. So if questions were asked, I'll try to get to them. So everyone knows, I've moved and I'm going to FSU now, so I have real life things once again sucking up my time in unpredictable ways. I will, however, try my damnedest to get the next chapter out by Thanksgiving.

AN2: Hathorne classes will soon be posted on my Ygroup. And! There's a delightful pic of Cam up on my Ygroup thanks to Caz251! You should go look!

If there's bizarre formatting or lacking of formatting or some other visual problem - its all ffnet's fault. Super.

Posted 07.26.10

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 39

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"How are you scheduled for three different classes being taught at the same time?"

"Wow, alternate universe, you're actually speaking to me in a halfway civil tone." Harry glanced up from _The Basics of Ritual Magic_ just long enough to give Geoffrey a quick up and down. "And you're still Geoffrey. Well done."

Geoffrey's frown turned into a scowl.

Harry snorted and turned back to the diagram he'd been studying when Geoffrey returned to the dorm, hand dropping over the side of the couch into the depths of his backpack. "Oh, hey, toss me that notebook on the coffee table?" After a moment, Harry straightened up, a pencil in hand, glancing back to Geoffrey. Geoffrey didn't look like he'd even blinked. "It's right next to you," Harry said helpfully. "It's the only one on the table. Blue cover, the big purple dragon on the front, all glittery? No? Yeah…" Harry stretched across the coffee table to snag it, almost falling off of the loveseat, and then settled back and began flipping through it. "On reflection, I honestly have no idea why I actually thought that might work."

"I asked you a question."

Harry turned the notebook sideways to study one of the diagrams in his notes. "Did you really?" He tapped the pencil against his lips. "Like I asked you to do something for me? Funny; we don't seem to be hearing each other clearly."

Geoffrey sucked in a slow breath.

Harry checked his diagram against the diagram in the book and made a note. "Though, I suppose you win a few points for managing to only sound curt instead of thoroughly disdainful. All right." Harry shrugged a little. "When I took the placement tests over the summer, I passed most of the sections in those three classes, but there were specific areas that I didn't score high enough in to skip. My advisor checked the projected class schedule for each of the subjects and decided that there wasn't a significant amount of overlap in any of them, and since I'm really just filling in some potholes, my advisor okayed putting all three classes on my schedule."

"You _what_?"

"My pre-Hathorne tutoring covered a fair bit in Runes, Arithmancy, and Rituals, but not everything." Harry slid the pencil behind his ear to flip through the book, eyes flicking to Geoffrey's stony expression several times before he found the correct page, biting back a smile at Geoffrey's unblinking stare. "So, I have a good handle on the basics, and then a bunch of topic specific things relating to whatever practical exercises I was doing. Basically it means there's just enough material left out that it makes my ride on the information superhighway bumpy, and as we all know, the leading cause of bumpy highways is potholes. My magical theory is just full of potholes."

"Potholes."

"Yep. Potholes." Harry snagged his calculator from the coffee table.

"Magic cannot have potholes."

"Says you. Magic says differently. Magic also says you look adorable when you scowl." Harry looked up with a grin at Geoffrey's low, displeased noise, and grinned even more when Geoffrey glared at him. The glare intensified for a moment, and then transferred to the half open curtains behind the loveseat.

"Is there a problem?" Harry asked amiably.

Geoffrey turned smartly and stalked to his side of the room. Harry bit his lip to keep from laughing, bending close to his calculations and filling in blanks on his diagram. Geoffrey filled the pencil-scratching quiet with the sound of drawers opening and closing slightly louder than necessary, punctuated by the occasional huff. Every time a drawer opened and then closed, Harry penciled a tick mark on the edge of his notes.

"Did you lose something?" Harry asked after several minutes, turning to a new diagram in the book.

"No."

"I'm only moved to ask because you have nine drawers on your dresser and you've opened them…" Harry added up the tick marks, "nineteen times. That's either a search pattern or a 'make noise and annoy' mission."

"No."

Harry erased a note to buy pickles and wrote a number in its place. "I take it you want my attention for some reason, then?"

Geoffrey remained silent, letting his shuffling and shutting noises speak for him.

"Hey, believe me, this is a new experience for me, too." Harry waited a few moments for a response, punching in a few more numbers on his calculator and writing down another note. "Hello? Boots? Earth to Boots?" He peered over his shoulder. "Scowls McFangy? Geoffers? Prince of Gloom? Stealer of Sunshine? Destroyer of Smiles? Grumpy-"

Geoffrey turned just enough to fix him with a glare. "No." He turned back to peering into the open drawer.

"You sure? Really? Because you were totally almost civil to me in a thoroughly curt and Geoffrey manner when you came in, and seeing as how we've been roommates for two weeks and this is the first time you've spoken to me without it being a command or an insult, or a commanding insult, come to think of it-"

"No."

"-I just thought you maybe wanted to ask for my firstborn or something, and then I went and ruined your sweet talking lead up where you showed you were a standup guy by me being, you know, me, and-"

"No."

"-now you're minus one firstborn or some of my cookies or something and the fate of the world hangs in the balance and-"

"_No_."

"-and it's all my fault."

"Yes."

Harry swallowed back a giggle with effort as he stared blankly at his homework, reaching up to stroke the coiled form of Serish under his jacket. She shifted along the back of the couch, stretching out as she hissed wordless contentment. The shuffling and drawers opening and closing started again. Harry listened for a moment, biting back a smile, then pulled his hand away from Serish to continue his homework. She mumbled a protest.

After several minutes the shuffling stopped and Harry could feel Geoffrey staring at him unwaveringly and with great intent. Harry ignored it, biting the inside of his cheek to keep a straight face as he finished the calculation he was working on and moved to the next.

A handful of calculations later, Harry flipped to the index to locate something. "You know…" He ran his finger down the list of entries, then began flipping back through the pages. "If you continue to stare at me like that, I'm going to feel obligated to give you something to stare at."

"Your class started fifteen minutes ago."

"And if you'd said that when you started staring at me, it would have only started about eight minutes ago." Harry glanced at the clock. "And you're right, it did. But I decided at breakfast to skip Medimagic today because we're covering the healing of basic abrasions and I can do that while half asleep. And have." Harry looked around at Geoffrey's impassive face, smiling brightly. "Aww, were you worried about me missing class? Or were you just trying to get rid of me so you can drop the prince of darkness act, put on some groovy music, and let out the dancing queen you keep hidden deep inside your soul?"

Geoffrey's expression flickered with confusion before darkening. His mouth worked around half words, but no sound came out.

"I'm on to you, magic pants."

"Insane." Geoffrey silently collected his books with vampiric speed and abrupt, precise movements, then he pulled on his cloak with a flourish and stalked out, pausing only long enough to give Harry a cold look as he muttered to himself in French.

"See ya later, boots," Harry called out with a grin. The door shut quite firmly.

'I want to bite him.' Serish slithered out from under his jacket.

Harry snorted. 'I know how you feel, but don't.'

'He smells un-right and hisses un-words.' Serish slithered down the loveseat to drape over Harry's shoulders, winding from his shoulders to his arm and around his hand. Her tongue tickled over Harry's skin for a moment before she reared up to look at him. 'I should bite him.'

'No biting,' Harry told her firmly, putting down his pencil to stroke her.

She shifted in delight. 'Not even a little?'

'Not even a little. Others would blame me and you would return to your other territory and not be allowed to stay with me.'

'Then I won't bite him. He would not taste pleasant, anyway.'

Harry laughed as he considered that. 'Too sour, perhaps. Or maybe not.'

She settled her head on his hand with an agitated hiss.

'I need to learn his language,' Harry mused, idly stroking her.

Serish made a questioning noise.

Harry considered how best to explain that humans spoke different languages even though they were the same creatures, and that Geoffrey's language of choice for muttering, grumbling, and smart remarks happened to be French. 'We speak differently. People who live in other territories have different words. I don't know the language he growls at me in.'

Her tongue tickled over his knuckles again, her slightly flicking tail the only indication she was trying to understand the concept. At last she looked up at him. 'You are strange creatures.'

'That we are,' Harry agreed with a chuckle, glancing at the clock again. 'I have to go to the room with all of the paper.'

Serish hissed a wordless grumble. 'You're always looking at things that rustle and crinkle.'

'Because I'm learning.' Harry gently unwound her from his arm and shoulders and resettled her along the back of the loveseat. 'You're nearly three feet. If you get much bigger, you won't be able to fit up there.'

'Then you should get a bigger sunning spot.' She slithered under his jacket again. 'You may go.'

Harry laughed and began to gather up his books, pausing briefly to read a few sentences to stop thinking in snake. "Nice to know you love me so much."

Serish hissed something vague and sleepy about human words barely making sense and he ought to hiss like a civilized creature.

Harry shook his head fondly as he got up and made his way around his bookshelves to set the books and homework on his desk. The mail box beside his desk was practically overflowing with the mail one of the school elves had delivered just that morning, and Harry pulled out the bundle curiously, flipping through it. The bulk of his mail was a bulging manila envelope from his press agent's office, and he tossed it in the box under the desk to look at later along with about a dozen other letters; the rest he set on top of his paper tray. His library bag was sitting on his smaller filing cabinet and he paused to look at the tag, checking to make sure the scrolling list of books included everything he needed to return, before gathering it up and returning to the main part of the room to pack it into his backpack.

'Bring back a mouse,' Serish commanded as he bid her goodbye, heading for the door.

'A mouse?' Harry turned to study her twitching tail, the only part of her that wasn't coiled up under his jacket. 'You ate four days ago. You're just being greedy.'

'I want a mouse.'

'Maybe this weekend.' Harry waited for a response, then shrugged at her silence. 'Don't get in trouble while I'm gone,' Harry cautioned. 'And do not crawl into Geoffrey's bed and move all of his blankets around! If I'm going to be blamed for sprawling all over his bed, I'm actually going to do it.'

'I am not aware of this happening as you say it did.'

'Lying is a terrible human habit. I thought snakes were better than that, hm?'

Her tail disappeared under the jacket.

'That's what I thought.' Harry resettled his bag over his shoulder and continued from the room. He paused in the hallway, waiting for the door handle to reabsorb into the door before moving on, nodding to a classmate entering her room further down the hall. In the stairwell, he waved to someone he'd met twice joining a group for lunch and nodded a hello to someone he had a good nodding-hello relationship with as he wound his way through the first floor lounge.

"Jamie!" A boy he knew from Transfiguration waved from a set of chairs near the door. "Got a minute?"

"Not even a second," Harry called back, aiming for the door but slowing slightly. "Is it important?"

"Nah. I'll see you later."

"Sounds good." Harry braced himself and pushed through the door leading to the dormitory courtyard, immediately sidling along the wall, ignoring the tickling, spidery, prickling against his skin feeling of the dorm magic identifying him as he left. He aimed for a gap in the flowering bushes that enclosed the table and bench filled leisure area, just managing to slide through with his backpack intact.

As he followed a foot-worn path through the denser garden, branches and vines strained towards him with every step, dropping away lifelessly just shy of touching him as the magic of his school ID calmed the garden's defenses. Despite being late, Harry slowed and reached up with a grin; the vines curled around his fingers and down his wrist before the defenses were deactivated and the vines slipped away between his fingers. He chuckled as he wriggled between two trees and broke free of the garden.

Harry crossed the expanse of grass to the main school building, backpack cradled by an arm as he rooted around inside with a preoccupied look to discourage chatterers. The magic protecting his notes made his fingertips tingle as he absently thumbed through his folders, and he spent the rest of his walk fighting to free his pocket watch when he spotted the chain wrapped up in one of his spiral notebooks. He stopped just outside of the building's side doors to free the last of the chain, then shoved the watch into his pocket and resettled his backpack on his shoulder before reaching out to grip the closest door, steeling himself.

"You always look like you're about to go into battle when you come into this building."

Harry glanced back at the amused voice, pulling open the door for his potions teacher. "I look like that when I enter any building," he said dryly. "But that's life. Mornin', Mr. Saund."

"Is it really?" Mr. Saund paused just inside the building and shook his sleeve back from his wrist to check his watch. "So it still is." He shook his sleeve back down. "Do you have class right now, Mr. Potter?"

"No, not at the moment." Harry gripped his bag and moved into the building, twitching as the tickling, prodding magic slid over him. It left him feeling like his skin wanted sneeze, then lingered, prickly, for several seconds before the identification magic began to fade. Harry gave himself a wriggle and shake and eased his grip on his backpack, muttering, "Never going to get used to that."

"Used to what?" Mr. Saund asked curiously.

"Feeling like my skin wants to sneeze all over." Harry fell in step with his teacher. "And then feeling like my skin wants to get all goose bumpy without actually goose bumping, and then I just want to hunker down and twitch for a while after I pass through any of the campus wards."

Mr. Saund shook his head. "I think I'd probably have to give into that urge if it were me, as undignified as huddling in front of doors and twitching would be."

"You wouldn't care too much about dignified if your hands and knees and toes all wanted to sneeze. You guys should seriously have a Magurist-friendly entrance or something."

"I do believe that would make it a completely magicless entrance, Mr. Potter, and that would make it rather difficult to keep track of the students."

"A minor inconvenience."

"Slightly more than minor, I should think." Mr. Saund unclipped his teacher ID from his shirt pocket and studied the back. Harry caught a glimpse of Mr. Saund's teaching schedule scrolling across the card before the information changed to a list of the day's appointments. "You say you don't have a class right now?"

"No, no class. I'm heading to the library to work on a project with someone, though."

"Might you have a little time to spare?"

"Maybe…" Harry dug the watch out of his pocket and gave it a warning look before flipping it open, thumbing the sound on.

"You're late," his watch muttered sullenly.

Mr. Saund let out a surprised snort of laughter. "Only you would have a moody pocket watch."

"That's totally not true. I bet there's another Magurist out there somewhere who has a moody pocket watch. It didn't come with a moody setting, I can promise you that. My family is sure to point that out every time my watch gets sniffy with me. What it came with is a silence setting so I can keep it with me during class, but the stupid thing acts like I've been ignoring it for years when I silence it."

"Ah, Magurism," Mr. Saund said with a chuckle. "Yes, magic does very strange things to Magurist students, in my experience. I've had more than one student with quirky problems. I had one very promising student, in fact, who was brilliant at potions in every way, but without fail, every potion that had the potential of going wrong in such a way as to dye her hair or skin another color without any other side effects, it would go wrong." He chuckled again. "There was one time we were working with a certain class of potions that had that ability for a stretch of several weeks, on and off, and I would dismiss her from that day's work before she could even sit down because I knew how it would end."

"Magic certainly does do that," Harry agreed fervently. "I've noticed lately that calling an object to me, either with intent or the actual formal summoning spell, has the potential to end with it smacking me in the face before I realize it's even moved. I really hope this one is just a temporary messing with my head."

"You might have to actually get up and get things," Mr. Saund teased.

"That inconvenience, while annoying, I can handle. It's the other ways I use it that are going to really get to me. Like in defense." Harry eyed the watch with a frown, tapping the sound button, before he shook his head. "Maybe the watch will cheer up if I leave it unsilenced for a while." He closed the front flip face and opened the other side. Instead of dark letters glaring at him, informing him of his tardiness, his watch displayed the actual time, but even the numbers somehow seemed vaguely put out. "Yeah, and you're no Game Boy," Harry muttered to the watch as he snapped it closed and stuffed it back into his pocket. He looked back to his teacher. "Well, I was supposed to meet Jo in the library about ten minutes ago, but we both have the time to spare if you need to talk to me right now."

"It would be appreciated."

"I'll send up a note." Harry paused to pull his backpack around, digging into a smaller pocket on the front for a little notebook and pen. It only took a moment to write out the note. He tucked the pen back in his bag and shifted his grip on the notebook to slide his fingers down the edge of the paper, cutting the sheet free cleanly; the notebook joined the pen and he resettled his bag. He considered trying to fold the paper wandlessly and remembered the confetti that happened the last time he tried. A small twist of his wrist dropped his wand into his waiting hand and he waved it over the paper, folding it into a bird that soared away from him like it had somewhere very important it needed to be.

"I imagine you're wearing an Auror-issue wrist holster," Mr. Saund remarked, drawing Harry's attention back to him. "I recognize that action. But I don't see any sign of it. Your sleeves aren't really loose enough to hide a metal ring, and I certainly don't see an outline of one."

Harry grinned. "There isn't a metal ring." A movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him and he glanced forward again, then scowled. His note had rocketed off in a hurry only to stop ten feet away in the foyer, bobbing around in lazy figure eights like it had nowhere to be for hours. "Jo's in the library," Harry told the note, making his way into the foyer. "Go. Library. Jo." He waved his wand again, sending the construction spiraling halfway up the staircase; the bird continued up several more steps under its own power before it met a bumblebee coming down. The two bobbed and circled each other several times before the bumblebee broke away from the dance, continuing down the stairs and down the hall they'd just walked though. The bird began to drift lazily in and out of the railing.

"I can't imagine you cast the spell incorrectly," Mr. Saund remarked mildly.

"That I did not," Harry agreed, tapping his wand against his leg. "Magic is being very magic today. Come on." Harry continued his way across the foyer to the other main hallway of the building. "It's only misbehaving because it has an audience. It'll get bored and do what it's supposed to do if we stop paying attention to it."

"And if it doesn't?" Mr. Saund asked.

"It will." Harry twirled his wand between his fingers, and then flipped the wand around so the handle was nestled in his palm. A little flex of his fingers and the wand slid under his sleeve and disappeared.

"So that is a USAS holster?"

"Oh, yeah." Harry stopped in the hallway with a grin. "It's the newest design," he explained, rolling up his sleeve to reveal something that looked like a short sleeve of nylon, almost indistinguishable from his skin until he plucked at it. "No metal ring, no heavy material, it's completely breathable, waterproof, and very comfortable. I almost never take it off. A very faint hint of 'oi, don't look at me' magic even allows me to wear short sleeves."

"What kind of magic?" Mr. Saund asked with a laugh.

"Notice-me-not. I like 'oi, don't look at me' better, though. That's the way the magic feels when I cast it."

Mr. Saund chuckled, shaking his head as he continued to study Harry's arm curiously. "I must say, I don't see how that could work. You simply can't put an anchor point so sophisticated as to summon a wand from magical non-space on any sort of cloth-like material. Cloth isn't strong enough physically or magically to sustain even a small pocket of non-space. That's why even the sleekest designs required a metal ring thick enough it wouldn't bend and wide enough the wand could slip through."

"You know your holsters," Harry said, a little impressed.

"A Potions Master is always trying to find ways to easily carry and conceal a great many potions and ingredients. Holster technology is similar to certain methods being used for that. I've been fortunate enough to have several students with USAS holsters for me to be intrigued by over the years."

"And behold, the newest version." Harry turned his arm over and flexed his wrist. A tear like a buttonhole opened up in the sleeve near the wrist and his wand slipped out and into his cupped hand like it had been summoned.

"You still can't anchor non-space magic to cloth."

"But you can anchor it to the bones of your wrist." Harry shifted his fingers up until the tip of his wand touched the underside of his wrist. The wand disappeared back into the material in the blink of an eye. He glanced back into the foyer. "Hopefully the stupid note actually made it to the library and isn't trying to impress someone with acrobatics," Harry remarked. "But at least it's no longer circling the staircase." He continued down the hall.

"But the bones of your wrist?" Mr. Saund shook his head slowly as he joined Harry. "Shouldn't the wand be dragged into your wrist if it's being pulled to your bones?"

Harry shrugged. "No clue. I asked how it worked, and the technician explained it, but I didn't understand most of it. I just smiled and nodded and thanked her for the new holster. And then took a pain potion."

"A pain potion?"

"The anchoring involves slicing open the wrist to the bone to apply the spell, without numbing the area, while you're awake."

Mr. Saund winced.

"Yep," Harry said cheerfully. "So, now that my note has gotten to the library, I hope- yeah, I know," Harry said as Mr. Saund chuckled. "But you know, aside from a few little wibbles and the occasional wobble, magic pretty much works for me in all areas. Apparently I'm kind of unique in that regard."

Mr. Saund shook his head with a smile. "You are unique in many regards, Mr. Potter." He turned them down a side hallway. "Not that it's my business, but you were expecting a Game Boy and someone gave you a watch instead?"

"Huh?"

"You told your watch that it wasn't a Game Boy. I'm sure your watch was crushed."

Harry giggled, then gave a bit of a cough. "Yeah, that. Kathy, a friend of my mom's and sort of an aunt to me, one of those kinds of friends, she's gotten more annoying and bossy now that I'm older. She came over while I was packing for Hathorne and had a problem with me bringing my Game Boy, and I'd totally asked Mom's permission, and I guess I didn't handle Kathy's presumption properly, and… this is totally more information than you need. Long story short, I wasn't allowed to bring the Game Boy after all, but I got a look from one of my people that usually leads to me getting something equivalent to what was taken away. And I got the watch."

"That's not exactly equivalent."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice watch. I like the watch. It does watchly things. It's very watchly. It just wasn't what I was expecting."

"It never hurts to have a watch."

"I agree. But I already have a watch. More than one watch, actually. Some of them do some pretty spiffy stuff, too. Spiffy and groovy."

"But did you have a pocket watch?"

"No."

"So, now you do."

"But I don't need a pocket watch."

"Everyone needs a pocket watch," Mr. Saund countered, turning a corner.

"Why?"

"Because it's a pocket watch."

"That makes no sense."

"Then it ought to make perfect sense to you, shouldn't it, Mr. Potter?"

"Touché, Mr. Saund." Harry studied a collage of magical science in action as he passed it, then gave a bulletin board a cursory glance before looking back to his teacher. "Is there some sort of problem, sir? Why you want to see me, I mean."

"Not necessarily, no. What science are you taking now?"

"Level One science, so I'm in Life Science, and next Semester is Earth Science."

"So you'll be taking Chemistry in L3." Mr. Saund stroked his neatly trimmed beard.

"Unless something completely freakish happens, yeah. I'm me, after all."

"Yes, true." Mr. Saund nodded slowly, turning right as the hallway split and continuing several dozen steps to his office. His door was plain with only a simple nameplate, a paper with his office hours and contact information, and a mail slot about knee height, but the narrow, full length window beside the door was completely covered in moving photographs. As Mr. Saund used his ID to unlock the door, Harry leaned in to study them.

The photographs featured teenagers and adults, some wearing shirts with bubbling cauldrons on the front, 'PAW' written beneath the non-moving design, and others wearing shirts with Hathorne's logo – a fierce falcon perched atop a stack of books, framed by the words 'Always Strive For Excellence.' In every photograph someone was doing something potions related – preparing, brewing, teaching, or passing potions out to groups of people, many of them in foreign magical garb.

"Potions Around the World," Mr. Saund said when Harry glanced over at him curiously. "It's a program like Doctors Without Borders. We visit other countries and teach people in small magical settlements how to find native resources and brew some of the most commonly needed potions with what they have available." He leaned back against the doorframe with a proud smile. "My grandfather helped found the organization when he was a fairly young man, and Hathorne has been a part of it since the beginning. Every year, Hathorne's Potions Masters and Mistresses, and most of the students in the upper Levels, devote at least a few weeks of their summer to PAW activities."

"That's pretty awesome." Harry trailed his fingers down the glass. He recognized the Hathorne teachers, as well as some of the students, and he easily picked out the handful of Aurors, usually standing in the background, looking stern and alert, plus a couple of healers. There were other people throughout the photographs he recognized, but he couldn't place them. "Definitely awesome." He peered closely at a potion bubbling in one of the photographs. "Oh, this potion… that's a sedative designed for morphers, isn't it? That uses some pretty hard to get ingredients."

"Very good, Mr. Potter," Mr. Saund praised, looking a little impressed. "We don't cover that until L6. Very well done, spotting that in a photograph. One of the most recognizable characteristics of that potion is its almost sickly sweet smell until it's almost done brewing. How did you know that?"

"I've adopted a morpher." Harry laughed. "I mean, one of the Aurors I spend a lot of time with now is a morpher, so my private potion tutoring has begun to lean towards morpher-friendly potions."

"Very useful. As for the harder to obtain ingredients, yes, some of the potions we brew do require them, but many of the larger apothecaries, the direct suppliers, and others in the business of potions make generous donations of materials." Mr. Saund pushed away from the doorframe and moved into his office, motioning for Harry to follow. "Plus, of course, the generous money donations the group receives. Please close the door."

Harry stepped back and gently pushed the door closed, then wandered further into the office, drawn to the bookshelves. Nearly every wall in the room boasted a floor to ceiling bookshelf, and most of the shelf space was devoted to either books or potions and potion ingredients, but spread out in front of books and in gaps between sections were strange and curious things – a tasseled hat, several tribal masks, a box made of twigs, a voodoo doll.

"Last year, Growing Greenhouses very generously donated a dozen of their deluxe transportable greenhouses," Mr. Saund added.

Harry glanced over at him, his fingers trailing over a gnarled tree branch, crudely carved with symbols he didn't recognize. Magic stirred in the wood at his touch, powerful enough to tingle all the way up his arm. Harry jerked his hand away, rubbing his palm against his pants. "That's the company that makes those sturdy tents that house a fully functioning, self-sustaining, transportable greenhouse, right?" he asked distractedly, eyes narrowing as he studied the branch. The magic was wrapped around the wood like buzzing barbed wire.

"That's the company." Mr. Saund moved out from behind an old, scarred desk, holding a thick notebook, and crossed to an arrangement of padded wooden chairs in front of a small fireplace.

"Yeah, well, that's hardly surprising, the donation." Harry reached out towards an intricate metal flower, but well before he came close to touching it, he could feel the buzz of tightly packed magic. He pulled his hand back quickly, "Okay, done poking stuff…" he murmured, turning to join Mr. Saund in front of the fireplace, dropping his bag at his feet as he settled in the opposite chair. "Growing Greenhouses had that problem last year where a couple of people bought several of their greenhouses to grow marijuana. There was a big fuss about their company not being properly discriminating and all of that."

"An investigation revealed that the greenhouses had been purchased by a licensed Potions Master and Botanist," Mr. Saund remarked. "The company had been as discriminating as possible without completely invading the privacy of their clients after the purchase."

"Yeah, I know. But they still had some pretty bad press while it was going on. And it was during a slow news cycle, too. They were hot news. That's what really killed their image. It's not surprising that they'd be donating to good causes and working on pushing a positive image."

"That's a most astute observation."

"It happens when you're a public figure," Harry said with a shrug. He leaned forward a little. "So, what's going on? It sounds like it has something to do with chemistry."

"Yes. You'll be taking chemistry in two years. Do you see the problem?"

Harry considered that. "Not offhand."

"My class requires that you have some understanding of the basic theories of chemistry during your first semester, and to have had hands-on experience and knowledge of basic chemistry in the second semester as we begin to incorporate chemistry into the potions work we do. That's why, when following the traditional paths, students take chemistry the year before they move into Experimental and Constructive Potions. Since you haven't taken and aren't currently taking chemistry, you won't have the grounding and practical experience to continue to succeed in my class as we begin our second semester and continue onward."

"Oh." Harry frowned slightly. "Have I been falling behind? My placement tests almost put me into EC5 instead of four and I seem to be doing all right. Though I suppose it's still too early for me to know if I'm doing well…"

"No, you're doing quite well. That's not how this came to my attention. You see, I always review the records of my new students to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and that's when I noticed the only reason you didn't place into EC5 was the chemistry portion of the placement tests. I found that a little odd, so I spoke to your tutor, John Kigg, and he directed me to Shirley Bravier." He chuckled a little. "Apparently, she enjoyed teaching you potions so much that she didn't want to spend more time than necessary on chemistry and taught you precisely what you needed to know and no more."

"Somehow I don't find that very surprising," Harry said with a small snort.

"Nor did I," Mr. Saund agreed, smiling. "But with that explained, we have a couple of options."

"Options are tasty. What do we have?"

"I expect you have no desire to drop my class?"

"I'd really rather not."

"I thought you'd feel that way." Mr. Saund picked up the notebook and opened it on his lap, flipping through the pages with care. "Ordinarily, I would be reluctant to suggest this option to someone simply because patchwork knowledge does little favor to understanding the whole picture later, but my conversations with your tutors suggest that you're quite comfortable with learning bits and pieces of something and then filling in the gaps later and expanding on things already understood." He looked up. "But to be sure, before I suggest this, have you had any trouble keeping up with the Potions Journal or the Brewers Journal? Are you having any problems with anything that you haven't asked about?"

"No, not at all. I haven't had any problems. I do a lot of work on them after class while the information is still fresh, and I've never had any real problems finishing anything later. I don't think I'm having any more trouble than any other student."

Mr. Saund nodded slowly. "Yes, I've seen you working on them. You seem quite confident and comfortable as you work. I always take that as a good sign." He looked down again, turning a few more pages. "You have no problem participating in class, never shy away from asking questions, and so far, you've always had intelligent questions and comments when you speak up. You're keeping up with the practical work, you don't appear to have very many bad brewing habits, and you don't seem to have any problems working with older students. That was my biggest concern when you were placed in my class, that as an L1 you'd have some trouble interacting with the other students."

"Sometimes I do have a little trouble interacting with the other students, sir," Harry said a little dryly. "Sometimes they're a little too young."

Mr. Saund's eyebrows rose in surprise, then one dropped as he gave Harry a questioning look.

"I'm used to working with adults. Actually, frankly, I'm used to working with Potions Masters and Mistresses, sir. Or at the very least Potions makers."

"Ah." Mr. Saund chuckled. "Well, that's a first for me, a younger student who thinks the other students are a little too young."

"Not always, sir," Harry said with a grin. "It's only occasionally. It's only been a few weeks. I'm sure their brewing methods will tighten up before too long and some of the rougher edges will be smoothed down."

Mr. Saund laughed. "Very refreshing."

"That's what I do, sir. I refresh."

"That you do, Mr. Potter. And since I'd prefer you keep refreshing – just how busy are you outside of my class? I've seen your school schedule and taken a cursory glance at the rest of your placement tests, so I expect you'll only feel the need to attend two thirds or three fourths of your classes each week, but I'd never believe that you don't have just as full of a schedule outside of your school responsibilities."

Harry sat back and absently adjusted his tie. "Really, it's my school schedule that demands the most of my attention. Evenings are definitely out. I have Divination, of course, and I try my best to attend the Friday night special speaker presentations when we have them, and I prefer to keep my other nights free for being me. But during the week, yeah, I do skip classes here and there, and I can leave some early, or come a little late for some, and there's always taking a quick lunch or breakfast, depending on what you have in mind."

"You have two options. What I recommend, if you think you can handle it, is chemistry tutoring that focuses only on learning what you'll need for my class this year. The gaps in your knowledge won't actually hurt anything you do in potions this year. Next year, though, the gaps will give you trouble, so if you take this option you'll have to arrange for private chemistry tutoring over the summer."

"That sounds like it would work pretty well, but what's the other option?"

"The only other way to really make this work is to arrange for the full chemistry course tutoring this year so you're learning the subject as it's designed to be taken, on top of your potions class. Taking the full chemistry course is something I would only recommend, however, if I felt, or if you felt, that the haphazard way you'd be learning chemistry otherwise would be a hindrance later."

"Nah, I'm pretty good at being haphazard."

"That you are, Mr. Potter," Mr. Saund a little dryly, smiling as he flipped to the back of his notebook where a smaller notebook was secured. He pulled a pen from his pocket and began to write. "With that settled, what you'll do…" he freed the paper from the pad and began to fold it up, "is take this to Student Learning Resources when you visit the library. Someone there will set you up with Chemistry tutoring based on an outline that I'll prepare this weekend. You'll probably be contacted by SLR sometime at the beginning of next week to set up a tutoring schedule and match you with a tutor." He pulled his wand from a special pocket of his slacks and tapped the folded paper, magically sealing the note with an imprint of his initials.

"Awesome." Harry took the note and tucked it into his backpack.

"I'm pleased that you want to stay in my class, Mr. Potter." He closed the notebook and placed it back on the table, settling back in the chair. Harry coughed on a giggle as Mr. Saund crossed his legs and revealed a pair of Scooby Doo socks. Mr. Saund chuckled. "Yes, I'm a fan."

"Good taste," Harry approved. "One of my goals in life is to have someone say, 'and I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids,' or some variation thereof," he added with a grin.

"Somehow, Mr. Potter, I'm not at all surprised. And if it's ever going to happen to someone, I expect it'd be you. Yes, I'm quite glad you want to stay in my class."

"I'm entertaining, if nothing else."

"You're entertaining on top of everything else. You show great potential, and I always want to encourage that in any way I can with my students, especially a student coming from such a solid magical background, not only in my subject and in magic, but in the theories of magic. You've had very good tutors. I hope you realize how fortunate you are."

"Oh, I've never doubted it," Harry assured him.

"Good. But they can't take all of the credit. You're quite gifted. And you approach Potions in a way that most of the students in my classes don't. I hope they learn something from you."

"It's nice to know that my crazy ideas are appreciated by someone," Harry said with a grin.

"If not appreciated, know that they're at least amusing."

Harry grinned even more. "All in a day's work, Mr. Saund. I'm just doing my job. It's a burden that I'm willing to most valiantly bear."

"I'm sure you are, Mr. Potter." He chuckled. "But you have someone to meet in the library, young man, and I'll see you in class this afternoon."

"That you will, sir." Harry got up and pulled on his backpack. "Thanks for helping me get this worked out."

"Of course. Be sure to note my office hours. Potions is one of the greatest forms of magic, capable of feats beyond imagining, but the talent requires nurturing and patience for it to blossom. Never be discouraged if something doesn't work out the way you think it should, and come see me any time you need to."

"I'll remember that."

Mr. Saund chuckled again. "And even if you aren't having trouble, feel free to stop by and see if I'm busy. You might appreciate some of the stories I could tell you about my travels and working with PAW."

Harry eyed him. "Are you trying to recruit me for the program? Because frankly, while it sounds like something I'd love to do, it's not happening."

Mr. Saund gave him a curious look.

"Harry Potter, sir. I can't go to the store without at least two bodyguards."

"Ah. Yes. No, it was not a serious intention to try and recruit you. The thought crossed my mind that my stories might intrigue you, but I do believe you'll enjoy the stories in their own right."

"Then I'll definitely stop by sometime. And I should definitely be going. You have a magnificent day, sir. I'll see you in class."

Mr. Saund waved him out with a small chuckle.

Harry paused outside of the office, pulling the door closed distractedly as he considered the photographs. He slipped his hand into his backpack, rubbing his thumb against the corner of the note, lifting his other hand to trace over a few of the photographs thoughtfully. His study was interrupted as his watch gave an agitated buzz, reminding him of his tardiness.

* * *

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* * *

"Hmm… Most, most, most curious!" Healer Zohler groped along the table for a pen as he studied the test results in front of him. His assistant looked up from adjusting some of the settings on the Magical Current Scanner, then reached over to push the pen into his questioning hand. "Yes, thank you, Rebecca. And now, if you'd-"

"Elizabeth," she put in.

He looked up, blinking owlishly behind his glasses. "Rebecca Elizabeth?"

"Just Elizabeth."

He pulled the cap off of the pen slowly. "Are you quite sure?"

"Yes, I'm quite sure," she told him patiently. "It's the name I learned to write in Kindergarten."

"Well! You would know!"

"Yes, I would," she agreed.

"Elizabeth it is, then!"

"For the next ten minutes, at least," she murmured with a faint smile, grabbing the calculator that was about to slide off of the table as Healer Zohler turned back to his work.

Healer Zohler patted the printouts, his notes to the side, lifted up a ruler curiously, then put down the pen to reach for a pencil. "Have you seen my calculator? I rather thought I just had it right here. Oh! Thank you. Excellent. Most excellent." He accepted the calculator and placed it beside the results printout. His eyes skimmed the figures, abbreviations and charts briefly before he began to scratch out notes in the margins, tapping numbers into the calculator and mumbling to himself.

"So you've seen this before?" Suntree asked, moving over to the table to stand next to Harry's chair.

"Oh my! Yes!" He peered over his glasses. "Certainly! Once. Oh, but she was quite the fascinating young woman, yes, quite the fascinating young woman indeed. She showed almost no magic in her own tests, almost none at all, but she could twist and turn just about any spell as it was being cast, twist and turn it into nearly anything she desired, to whatever suited her pleasures, oh she most certainly could." He sat up a little straighter and tapped the pencil against his lips. "She also occasionally thought she was a rabbit," he mused. "That was most odd."

Harry looked up from his effort to read the only half familiar scan results upside down, biting his lips on a snigger as he glanced up at Suntree. Suntree's mouth twitched and his eyebrows rose slightly as he laid a hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing lightly. "As fascinating as this is, Zohl, it's not actually very relevant."

"Oh! Oh, yes, yes, of course, quite right, no, it certainly isn't." He bent over the calculations again. "Relevancy, yes, of course."

Harry leaned forward, trying to make sense of the strings of numbers, letters, and odd symbols that Healer Zohler was peppering the margins of the printout with.

"So, you said you've seen this before?" Suntree prompted after several minutes.

"Yes!" Healer Zohler looked up. "Yes! I've certainly seen it, yes, most certainly, and most fascinating." He pushed his glasses up to peer searchingly at Harry. "You don't, by chance, happen to think you're a rabbit?" he asks intently.

"Nope. I can't say that I do."

"Have you ever felt like a rabbit? Might you ever feel like a rabbit?"

Harry considered that, scratching at one of the stickers holding down a magical current sensor on his arm. "I may have once felt like a rabbit when I was seven. It might have been a rainy Thursday. There was probably popcorn being popped. I was likely wearing frog pajamas. But I don't think I've felt like a rabbit since."

"In other words, no, he hasn't," Suntree put in dryly before Healer Zohler could get excited.

"Oh. Oh yes. How about a llama?" Healer Zohler asked. "Have you ever felt like a llama? I've met a llama, I've met a man who could turn into a llama, and I've met a woman who was once turned into a llama, but I've never met someone who thought they were a llama."

"I once pet a llama," Harry offered with a grin.

Healer Zohler nodded slowly. "As have I, young man. As have I."

"You've said you've seen this before," Suntree prompted.

"Quite! Yes! Incidentally, you can take all of those off now." Healer Zohler waved to the sensors.

"Finally." Harry quickly began to peel off the round, white pads covering his arm. "These things feel so freaking weird, like little pops against my magic." He began to rub his arm vigorously at the odd tingling sensation they left behind.

"Certainly! That's exactly what they're doing! Little _pops_, exactly, popping against your magic, making your magic _pop_ back, and the sensors take all of those little pops and send them to my magic popping reading machine-"

"Actual name," Elizabeth mouthed, catching Harry's eye. Harry coughed on a giggle.

"-and it reads exactly how the pops are popping!"

"Zohl. Focus."

Healer Zohler looked back to Suntree. "Oh! Yes! It's a Magurist theory, actually, that someone who doesn't recognize any boundaries or limitations on magic won't be held to the same rules of magical casting. Fascinating theory! Fascinating and curious and not seen in practice very often, no, not very often at all." He leaned forward, drumming his fingers on the table in excitement. "You see, most magical people learn this concept of personal power objects, that is, wands or rings or whatever you use to focus your magic being yours, and people never even realize they've learned it, they don't, they don't realize it, they just know it, they know it as commonly accepted fact, which is, in fact, not fact, but in fact is fiction, and-"

"Whoa, Z, dude, pause that thought," Harry interrupted, sitting back, mouthing to himself. "'Commonly accepted fact, which is, in fact, not fact, but in fact is fiction.' I am so stealing that. Stolen. Mine. Sunny, remember it. Carry on, Healer Z."

"Yes! Very well! Certainly! You see! People know it as commonly accepted fact, that a wand is simply yours, it belongs to you, is tied to you, which is, technically, incorrect." He waved his hands around grandly. "Oh, it's complicated, but! But! But! People subconsciously accept that someone else's spell is someone else's spell and that's all there is to it. But you, young man! You obviously don't see the boundaries of magic belonging to a person." He doodled on the corner of his printout as he considered Harry. "But, it is complicated. This is most odd. Most odd."

"That's my name, don't- wait, no, that's not my name." Harry grinned. "That's my job description."

"Quite indeed!"

"I almost hesitate to ask, but – what's odd?" Suntree asked.

"Ah! Yes! Well. It is most complicated." He leaned forward on the table. "While it is technically incorrect, there are some elements of truth, you see. You do embed your magic into a power object, and that does make it more difficult to use, and the magic of a power object becomes attuned to your magic, and that does make it more difficult to use, but that is not an absolute. So, you see, I would have completely understood if this had happened this casually with John Kigg, considering how often you're interacting with his magic, how his magic has come to accept yours, how often your magic already alters his, no, no, his magic would not have balked at the small interference, you would be familiar with his magical patterns and not cast contrary to the natural flow, but for it to happen so easily, so casually, so simply with someone else, that's most odd, most intriguing, most fascinating, most-"

"Holly."

"Most Holly?" Healer Zohler asked, perking.

Harry sniggled. "It is most Holly. But I meant Hollen Davish. I'm… let's say familiar. I'm familiar with his magic."

"Oh." Healer Zohler took off his glasses to study Harry intently. "I know Davish, yes. A most… complex person."

Harry snorted. "That's a bit of an understatement."

"So… you interact with Davish's magic?"

"Well. Yeah. Though… I think it's more like Holly's magic tries to bully mine and my magic puts his firmly in its place, and then pats it on the head…"

"Young man." Healer Zohler pressed his lips together, considering a point just past Harry's left shoulder for a moment before focusing on Harry again. "I would most like to see this interaction firsthand."

"Yeah, somehow I get the feeling that Holly isn't going to jump for joy at the thought of coming in to be studied," Harry said, trying not to grin at the image. "Actually, I think he's likely to have something very vitriolic to say. But I can ask."

Suntree raised a brow. "Vitriolic?"

"See? I do look at that word-a-day calendar you got me for Christmas."

"So! So indeed, so indeed, and no indeed, Auror Davish would not be pleased to come in, not at all," Healer Zohler agreed. "He is a most… disagreeable man."

Suntree made a noise halfway between a snort and a cough.

Harry grinned. "Yeah, Holly has some rough edges, I'll admit. And his rough edges have rough edges, and those rough edges have rough edges of their own, but underneath all of that, there's… probably some craggy, sharp rock hidden beneath a turbulent ocean, to be honest, but understand all of that-"

"You have most certainly been interacting with his magic! Quite so, quite right, he will not take happily to the idea of visiting to have his magical interactions studied. And I do so feel it could help him greatly if he would just come in more often."

"It's… Holly."

"Zohl, what about Jamie's new ability?" Suntree asked. "Fascinating, unusual, no limits, thinking he's a rabbit… and it all means?"

"Oi, I'm not a rabbit," Harry protested. "I'm a flamingo."

Healer Zohler looked up swiftly. "You sometimes think you're a flamingo?"

"I sometimes think I'm an orange cabbage singing in a choir with elephants on a hot air balloon over a field of marshmallows. And that'll be the last time my divination teacher wants me to share a dream from my dream journal with the class."

Healer Zohler's eyes widened and he scrambled to find a clear space to start writing.

"Z, dude! It was a joke! I mean, I really had the dream, but I ate some really questionable pizza before bed and I'm thinking that was a Jupiter sized mistake. Honestly, I don't seriously think I'm anything."

"Oh. Oh, yes, of course. Of course."

"And Jamie's intriguing new ability?" Suntree prompted. "This time try to complete the thought."

"Yes! Certainly! Back to this new twist, this fascinating turn, this most intriguing quirk, yes, back to that!" He set his pencil down and put his glasses on again. "Though, young man," he peered over his glasses, "I must insist that you read up on stress and fractures and breaks in auras, now that you're interacting with Davish's magic. You should have a greater understanding of what your magic will be in contact with. You are not to change anything you're already doing, no matter how helpful you think it may be; simply having this knowledge will give you an unconscious advantage in avoiding things best left alone."

"Sure."

"Excellent! So, what were we talking about?"

"Mr. Potter's ability to alter another person's spell before it's cast," Elizabeth supplied.

"Ah! Yes, rare, quite rare, but not unheard of, not without its basis in theory. Your magic simply does not recognize boundaries, young man, as simple as that." Healer Zohler beamed, looking expectant.

Harry couldn't help but grin back. "Awesome. So, what does that mean?"

"Quite simply, if your magic can worm its way into someone else's magic, find a way into a spell, there's a rather good chance it will. You have no magical boundaries, young man. Do you see? Everyone could do this, in theory, always in theory, if they knew wandless magic, if they were a friend to magic, if they were of a Magurist belief, and even though so few do, the theory is sound, the basic truth that anyone truly could do that, if the conditions were met, if-"

"Breathing is your friend, Healer Z," Harry cut in.

"And stringing thoughts into actual sentences never hurt either," Suntree added a little dryly, mouth twitching.

"The thing is, Healer Z," Harry continued, leaning forward, "why did my magic alter the spell right then? It's never done that with Holly's magic before. Or Mr. John's magic for that matter."

"Ah! Correct me if I'm wrong, and I daresay that I won't be, I often find myself to be quite right, very right in fact, but do correct me if I'm wrong – very shortly before the uncast spell altering occurred, you had done something quite significant with magic, something that took you out of your own magic entirely and connected you directly into the flows of magic around you, yes?"

"I… Oh! Yes! I expanded my dorm room with space-layering." Harry sat back, buffing his nails on his shirt. "It was pretty impressive, if I do say so myself."

"Yes! Of course! Certainly! Yes, of course, precisely, you were one with magic, you were as magic, you were magic, doing as magic does, uncontained, unrestrained – it's a little wonder that you connected with another person's magic when you reached out to them after, especially the magic of someone you know well, magic that you know well and force into order and-"

"I prefer to say that I give Holly's magic much needed magical hugs," Harry said with a sniff.

Healer Zohler considered that. "I expect that's figurative? One mustn't just assume with you."

Harry giggled, coughed, and turned it into a snigger. "Figurative, yes."

"So! Thus! You expanded your magical awareness when you expanded your room! You certainly did! And then you reached out to a magic, a magic that is quite used to your influence, quite willing to be influenced by it, in fact, and you had great intent, and the magic lacked strong focus, the two met, and thus the spell changed. Not unreasonable at all!"

"Thank you." Suntree leaned against the back of Harry's chair, eyes lifted to the ceiling for a moment. "Over twenty minutes after I first asked, but thank you."

Healer Zohler beamed. "You're quite welcome!"

Harry coughed on another giggle, pulling his legs up onto the chair and wriggling until he was sitting cross-legged. "So! It was just a one time thing sort of thing?"

"Ah! No, not necessarily, no, not if you desire otherwise. You see, it's an ability that you possess, and now that you've unlocked it, you've experienced it, you are able to recall it, and I daresay with some focus and work, you could quite likely duplicate it, yes, certainly. But the choice to do so is entirely your own. This isn't like the other abilities you've shown, ones that require, nay, demanded that you understand them, embrace them, develop them. No, you may be able to just sit back and do nothing and choose not to explore this any further."

Harry planted his elbows on the edge of the table and clasped his hands together, resting his chin in his hands. "What would exploring it entail?" he asked curiously.

"Practice! You must practice! You must rediscover it, understand it, recreate the experience, do it again reliably, and from there you can explore and practice and truly harness the potential, truly explore the depths of this ability. It will require dedication, understanding, self-belief, confidence, concentration – all things that you have!"

"This is going to sound like a stupid question-"

"Ah! There are no stupid questions, young man! There are only times when a specific question is, in fact, stupid to ask."

"Yeah, that makes me feel better-"

"Excellent!" Healer Zohler paused, peering at the ceiling for a second before focusing on Harry again. "Oh, wait, was that sarcasm?"

Harry tried not to laugh. "A little bit. But the question, hopefully not stupid – what exactly would I be able to do with this ability if I did try to harness it? I mean, I get that there's value to it, and it's certainly super cool to alter a spell to get exactly what I want, like I did with Holly, but there are other ways to do that, and they wouldn't involve me putting one more thing on my already very busy schedule."

"Not as stupid as it could have been! Well done!"

Harry snickered. "Go me."

"Go you indeed! And it's actually a very interesting ability, very interesting, and with so very many applications. Why, I know many a ward breaker who would give some non-essential part of their body for an ability like this! This goes beyond simply altering a spell in motion, in mid-cast, one still anchored to another's magic; it goes far, far beyond that, far beyond and into an ability that can mature into altering the magic left behind in something, something sitting idle, sitting passive, long separated from the caster, such as the magic in a ward, in any manner of object, and even foreign magic on a person. You could very well take something that may be deadly and make it only harmful, take something harmful and make it only irritating, take something irritating-"

"I'm definitely on that thought train," Harry interrupted. "I can see the station ahead. There's a woman standing on the platform with balloons." Harry sat back, hands curling around the edge of the table. He ran his thumb over a scar in the woods, licking his lips. "So… it would work on something like, well, Mr. John's curse?"

"Ah." Healer Zohler pursed his lips in thought, sitting back himself. "Oh. That is quite the thought… yes, quite the thought. In theory… yes. In theory, always in theory. But… don't get your expectations aroused with that. I have studied Mr. Kigg's specific situation at length over the years and his situation is the sort of thing we'll likely never see again."

"But I've had a lot of success in easing the curse," Harry countered. "Surely-"

"No. No, I'm sorry. A simple curse, an interrupted curse, the backlash of a ritual, even sitting untouched for years, perhaps even magically festering; for those things, yes, something probably could be done. But no, it's simply… a curse that has been warped by crossing over a tainted ward, then through the disjointed magic of an interrupted ritual, even as the ritual magic backlashes, impacting someone attempting to build a very complex shield that's pulling magic from that contaminated environment, a shield that's also draining the caster of every last magical resource they can push into it, an act that just by itself would leave a healthy person in the hospital for weeks trying to recover – no. No, simply cannot predict how altering the lingering curse obtained in that sort of situation may act, no matter how thoroughly you study it."

Harry leaned forward, mouth working silently before he managed a startled, "_What_?"

Healer Zohler's mouth formed a small 'oh' as he clasped his hands tightly. "Oh. You… didn't know. I see."

"But, I… No…" Harry trailed off as Suntree rested a hand on his shoulder, squeezing reassuringly.

"Working as you have with him, with his magic, with his curse, I had thought you would have to know something to work with it…"

"No." Harry shook his head. "No, he… he never wanted to talk… and I never wanted to press. I had no idea."

"How have you worked with his curse so successfully?"

"I've just…done it."

"You really knew nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Not even a little thing?"

Harry shook his head. "Nada. Not a thing."

"As in zip?"

"As in diddly, zippo, zilch. He's never said a word. I've never asked."

"Then I think it best that I say nothing more on this subject." Healer Zohler straightened the printout and lined up the calculator, pen, and pencil just so along the edge of the paper. "Moving on, then. That is an aspect of this new ability of yours." He brightened. "But! There's a wide range of other applications, like strengthening a spell, working in seamless concert with another person, and that, quite frankly, is quite fascinating to muse on, and then-"

"I think I got it," Harry cut in. "Just… yeah, it does sound useful. But I don't know. I'm really busy." Suntree gave his shoulder another squeeze. Harry leaned into him slightly, easing his shields down to let Suntree's well ordered, confident, calm aura soothe him. He looked up at Suntree. "What do you think, Sun?"

Suntree raised his brows slightly. "This is a decision that isn't mine to manage. Only you can decide if you have the free time and the commitment to explore this new ability in full."

Harry nodded slowly, looking back to Healer Zohler. Zohler continued to watch him with slightly wide, expectant eyes behind his glasses. "It's all pretty intriguing, but I'm not sure… Can I get more information on this? So I can figure out just how much time and work we're talking about?"

"Of course! I just- and then- but- and, of course- yes."

Harry burst out laughing. "How about you slow that down and complete each thought so it makes sense to everyone not sharing your brain?"

"Oh! Of course! I just need to finish evaluating the printout and then take a quick look at previous printouts to evaluate any shifts in your aura and abilities, just in case there's something more subtle developing, but that shouldn't take long at all, and, of course, I'll put together all of the information that you'll need and probably some that you won't, so definitely, yes, I can do that." He bent his head over the printout without waiting for a response.

"Cool." Harry began to tap his hands against his knees, singing under his breath, as he watched Healer Zohler write, calculate, and then write some more.

"Your mother is right," Suntree said after a minute. "No matter what the lyrics actually are, the music just sounds angry."

"Blind Guardian rocks. And it's about hobbits; there's no rage in hobbits."

Suntree snorted. "Why don't you go wait in the break room?" he suggested. "I think you'll be safe walking from here to the LES without a bodyguard."

"I don't know. The path to the Law Enforcement Section is full of monsters and danger and squeaky nurse shoes."

"I think you'll survive," Suntree said dryly. "Go spread some Jamie joy. Or do some homework."

"Woo, joy spreading here I come." Harry wriggled to free his legs from the arms of the chair, then stood up slowly and stretched. "Homework, not so much."

"You do have your hospital ID, right?"

"Always." Harry scooped up his backpack. "And my USAS badge, and my Hathorne ID, and my CPR-magical resusususcitations card, and-"

"Resuscitations," Suntree corrected.

"That one was on purpose. Do you have any idea how much fun the sound 'sususus' is to make?"

"Resuscitations."

"Resuscitations. Happy?"

"Ecstatic beyond words."

"Hey, can I get some money? I want to get a snack from the food giving machine."

Suntree pulled out his wallet and held out a handful of crisp ones.

"Super awesome groovy." Harry tucked the ones into his pocket and gave Suntree a brief hug.

"Yes. So awesome. Super groovy. Now off you go."

Harry pulled back to eye Suntree suspiciously. "Are you trying to get rid of me to talk to Healer Z privately?"

"No."

Harry gave him a slow up and down. "Are you lying to me?"

"No."

Harry tapped the side of his nose in a knowing motion, prompting Suntree to roll his eyes. "Catch ya later, Healer Z," he said, giving Healer Zohler a wave as he headed for the door.

"Yes! Have a perfectly wonderful day!" He looked up, beaming, then bent over the printout again. "Though, do give me a few months before you do something else amazing that shall require my attention. I really am quite busy these days."

"I'll totally try, but no promises." He grinned at Elizabeth and gestured to her name tag, mouthing, 'it needs to be bigger.'

She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Harry skipped out of the room with a grin.

* * *

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* * *

Harry relaxed into the overstuffed armchair, breathing in deeply, meditatively, as he closed his eyes. Around him the nearly empty first floor dorm lounge was quiet save for the paper-filled sounds of study and the occasional murmur as someone asked if anyone knew this about that, followed by a few minutes of quiet exchange before the room lapsed back into study silence. He listened for a few minutes, headphones silent against his ears, but still quieting the murmurs around him to just a buzz of background noise. Once Harry had reached a place of slow, even breathing and unrushed thoughts, he pressed play on his CD player. Heavy drum beats began to fill in his ears, just at the edge of being too loud. He turned his focus inward, assessing his magical aura. It was at ease, like a jungle cat, lazy and half napping on a tree branch on a hot day; more importantly, though, it was steady and strong and balanced, and Harry felt no apprehension as he carefully lowered his aura shields to let the atmospheric magic seep in around the edges.

The magic around Hathorne was more powerful than most magical places he'd visited, and time and careful use of the magic made it slow moving and steady despite being fed by two powerful mountain ley lines. In fact, it was peaceful and gentle, and after regular Animagus meditations, it was growing comfortingly familiar. Instead of sinking his magic inward this time, though, seeking out his next animal form, he relaxed his shields even more and allowed the wash of magic to settle over him, mingling with his magic.

He needed no adjustment as the curious blend of seeing, feeling and almost tasting took over his senses. The people in the room were more present to him than when he'd been looking at them, their magic expressed as bursts of frenzied activity as they thought and felt and interacted with the world, even sitting still. In comparison, the ward-filtered atmospheric magic was ever-present and mild, except where people-touched magic left pockets of agitation, like an unexpected swell of flavor in an otherwise mild dish.

The maelstrom of magical auras left quickly-fading aura impressions in the atmospheric magic that spread out as they faded. Faint trails of cast magic crisscrossed the room and lingered briefly. Rigid wanded spells held their shape longer, but the wandless spells dissipated the slowest. There were even fainter whispers of magic left behind as enchanted technology drew in the atmospheric magic to run and released tiny discharges to keep the converted magical flow steady and even, but those lingered for only a second.

Harry could have easily stayed in that space, cocooned in magic, but he floated there only long enough to wrap himself safely in his own magic, rooting himself until he was well anchored in his own body before he lowered his shields to almost nothing. The magic surrounding Hathorne sharpened, growing almost tangible against his skin, something he could reach out to touch, grip, mold, hold. It tickled his magic, crawling over him, inside him, leaving behind something akin to an aftertaste, like the ghosting touch of a spider web with the wispy, cloying sweetness of cotton candy. The world shifted and Harry was calm and never ending and connected to all things, the very magic of Hathorne, of the mountains, of everything, balance and power, infinite. For an endless second, there was no Harry, just pure magic, and then the world blurred. It was like his feet had gone out from under him on an icy ridge and he was falling endlessly over a cliff, head over heels over head, and then his magic jerked him back into himself nauseatingly. Training kicked in and Harry tightened his shields completely, cutting off his awareness of outside magic altogether.

Harry took slow, calming breaths until the magic nausea passed. The drums pounded in his ears as he shifted each part of his body, toes wriggling in his socks, feet digging into his thighs, legs shifting, back arching, arms drawing close to his body, fingers curling into the fabric of the chair. He let his chin fall to his chest. As his body relaxed, his magic began to unwind from its defensive knot, sweeping through him until he was re-centered enough to ease his shields open again. Once the atmospheric magic had crept into his awareness and the world unfolded around him again in its ebb and flow, he felt better than he had before he'd begun. He didn't even start when someone tentatively touched his wrist, though his magic reached out to prod against the other's magic curiously; it was unfamiliar.

Harry opened his eyes slowly and pushed his headphones down around his neck. The young man standing next to his chair was vaguely familiar, a face he'd seen somewhere outside of Hathorne, and not in person. "I know you from somewhere…" Harry noted the well tailored clothes, sharp yet functional dress boots and the braided bracelet around the young man's left wrist, half caught under a simple silver watch. "Ah."

"Ah?"

"Ah. You're President Keller's son, right? Johnathan. You're wearing a locator bracelet. Secret Service issue."

Johnathan fingered the bracelet with a wry look. "You can tell it's SSI just by looking at it?"

"I can tell its SSI because it's on your wrist," Harry said with a laugh as he extended a hand to shake. "It's nice to finally meet you." Harry's grip on Johnathan's warm hand lingered for a moment as he assessed Johnathan's steady, confident, slow moving aura. It was streaked with a tang of nervousness, but nervousness well hidden under steady, earthy discipline. Harry released the hand with a smile. "It almost seems like it ought to have happened before now, given everything we have in common."

Johnathan chuckled. "You'd think." He nodded to Harry's wrist as he moved to perch on the arm of the chair next to Harry's. "I see you're not wearing yours."

"I wear it when I leave secure areas." Harry shrugged. "Hathorne's locked down tight, though, campus and town. Tight enough that the need to have a bodyguard present anywhere around here was never even an issue to be discussed."

"Personally, I was told to always wear it, no matter what or where."

"If someone actually manages to break through the onion-layered forest defenses, the perimeter and town defenses, get onto campus and into the school itself, and then successfully lay their hands on me and forcibly remove me from this location… I almost need to say, 'well done, you deserve to have me. Until I kick your ass.'"

Johnathan snorted. "It doesn't really work that way."

"The sentiment remains true enough, though. If someone does manage all of that, they're going to be skilled enough to recognize a locator bracelet and remove it. And chances are they're going to be skilled enough to remove it intact and place it on an unsuspecting moving target of some kind, leading anyone using it to track me on a merry chase that's only wasting time. Time I probably won't have, to be honest."

"Oh." Johnathan fingered his bracelet again, looking thoughtful.

Harry laughed. "Keep wearing yours. I don't want to be responsible if something weird happens and you're not wearing it."

"Don't worry, I will." Johnathan glanced around the room. The handful of people scattered about weren't paying them any attention. "I expect you're fairly busy these days," he remarked, looking back. "You always look pretty relaxed, but if anyone knows the hustle and shuffle, it's me."

"Hathorne is introducing me to a whole new realm of busy I hadn't realized existed. I've begun to suspect that there's a dimension that's full of busy like it's gravity and it presses into our reality when you least want it to, leaking busy all over the place, collecting in little pockets of free time until you're drowning in a sea of no time left at all."

Johnathan began to laugh.

"What about you? A lot of my busy is behind the scenes, as it were, so I expect you know about it from Terry or something. But you're always in the papers for YLA, on top of Hathorne, on top of whatever else it is you do."

Johnathan's eyes lit up. "Young Leaders of America does take up a lot of my time, but it's really worth it. And it really is more than just some who's who youth group. We have members all over the US, and even some outside, from all different backgrounds. Young people are the future and it's important to be invested in ourselves if we want a country that cares, that pays attention, that makes a real effort. And it's not just the youth. We give speeches all over the country on important issues that everyone should be paying attention to, real issues, and we promote volunteerism and stress ethical use of magic and responsible magical impact on the non-magical world and… You're giving me a really odd smile." Johnathan finished, looking a little uncertain.

Harry grinned even more and leaned forward to tap Johnathan's forehead. "When you get all intense you get this tiny crease just right there. You're going to have wrinkles and lines before you're twenty if you don't relax a little. Even if it is kind of adorable."

Johnathan rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Adorable, huh? I think my masculinity has to object to that word…"

Harry began to giggle.

"Hey!"

"I can't help it. It's adorable. And yeah, YLA, fantastic organization."

"It is. Though, my biggest problem is that people assume I'm in it because, well, my father is the Magical President. I'm in it because I believe in it. I'd like to think I'd be in it if my father were a fry cook or something- what now?"

Harry waved a hand, giggling even more. "I just got… Sorry. I just got an image of your father in one of his conquer the world suits-"

"His _what_?"

"Conquer the world suits. Come on. That man knows how to dress. That's all I'm saying. And I had this imagine of him in one of those in a kitchen and it amused me."

"So I saw." Johnathan studied Harry for a moment. "Not to pry or anything, but why aren't you in YLA? I can't imagine that you haven't been contacted."

"I'm Harry Potter. They haven't stopped contacting me. There's just no free time, really. And, well, that's a little more in the national spotlight than I want to be right now. If you hadn't noticed, I haven't exactly been on the map until very recently."

"Trust me, I noticed. Harry Potter is a hot topic to speculate on. Actual facts about you are few and far between."

Harry laughed. "Is that your evil plan, then? Come over, weasel into my good graces, learn all my secrets and hold all the power in the Harry Potter fan club?"

Johnathan smirked. "Which one? The Harry Potter Fan Club? The _Official_ Harry Potter Fan Club? Potter Watch? The Potter Zone? The Potter People? Potter-spotting? Just a Bunch of People Eating Cheese and Cake and Maybe Even Cheesecake, a Harry Potter Fan Club-"

"What?"

He shrugged and continued to smirk. "It's a group. And then there's-"

"Whoa. You know more of them than _I do_."

Johnathan ran a hand back through his hair with a small laugh. "Yes, well, you hear things."

"Right. That's your plan, then. Get all of the information, take over all of the fan clubs, control the only fan club in the world-"

"I don't think so."

Harry grinned. "Nah, I know what happened. For a second I thought you might have come over to poke me. Harass me with a stick. Steal my plots to take over the world. But you're clearly without an invisible stick and your stealth poke approach lacked all manner of stealth poke. No, the sheer force of my awesome must have dragged you over here against your will. It happens all the time. I'm constantly dragging poor, innocent passerby into my web, never to escape."

Johnathan snorted. "From the things I've heard…"

Harry thumbed the volume down on his CD player until he could barely hear the drums, head tilting to the side a little. "Yes?"

He cleared his throat and shrugged a little. "I just know a few people who expected to have a brief contact with you and ended up staying in contact."

"Sheer force of my awesome," Harry said with a haughty look. After a second he spoiled it by giggling. "And yet, pre-warned, you came over anyway."

"I hear meeting you is all the rage these days. It's beginning to feel like every other person I meet has met you. Not to mention Terrence talking about you over the years-"

"Really?"

"Ad nauseam. And-"

"Technically not the right way to use that phrase, by the way," Harry cut in. "Helpful hint. We're not actually having any manner of argument or debate."

"Technically it's been abused so much I can get away with it."

"Hey, I'm just trying to be helpful. So, Terry's mentioned me a few times."

"More than a few. And my father and Uncle Tom – I mean, the Director of the USAS-"

"Uncle Tom, huh?"

"Old friend of the family." Johnathan shrugged. "They find you interesting enough to discuss fairly often. And my father has said more than once he needs to find a way to meet you without it turning into some sort of big to-do, since he knows you wouldn't appreciate it."

"No, I wouldn't appreciate it." Harry smiled slowly. "They really talk about me? What sorts of things do they say about me?"

"I have no clue. They talk over golf and lunch and things like that. I just hear about it after the fact."

Harry grinned. "I've always wanted to be a lunch time conversation topic. Especially when the discussees are important people."

Johnathan paused. "Is discussees a word?"

"_Absolutely_."

"I don't think I believe you."

"Wise decision, if I do say so myself."

Johnathan shook his head. "Terrence did warn me to keep my eye on you."

"I'd recommend both eyes. And an ear. And possibly a nostril. But that last one is only a suggestion. Far be it for me to tell you how to direct the attention of your nostrils."

"I… Thanks?"

"Most certainly welcome. I must admit, it's a pity you don't have some idea what they talk about. Not to sound completely full of myself, but it's pretty awesome to hear that people think you're awesome."

"I don't know if they actually discuss your awesomeness," Johnathan said with amusement, "but I suppose some facet of your awesomeness must come up occasionally."

"Ooh, facets of awesomeness. That is an awesome phrase. I approve. Awesomely, in fact. And the President of the Magical United States possibly having awesome conversations about me being awesome in some way, shape, or super awesome form is also completely awesome."

"Whoa… That was a lot of awesome."

"No. What's a lot of awesome is the President wanting to meet me. And, for an extra dollop of awesomey goodness on top, he doesn't want to turn it into some sort of big political to-do. Awesome."

Johnathan rolled his eyes and shifted on the arm of the chair, turning sideways and sliding into the seat so he was sitting properly, leaning against the arm. "You do realize that you're Harry Potter, right?"

"I've been Harry Potter my entire life, even when I wasn't. It's no big deal."

"My father wears blatantly mismatched socks on purpose. It's no big deal."

Harry stared at him for a moment. "Your father's my new hero."

"Of course he is." Johnathan rolled his eyes again. "I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear that."

"You're going to tell him I said that?"

"I am."

"Awesome." Harry grinned. "Going to rub it in that you got to meet me before he did?"

"Well, you _are_ Harry Potter. I mean, I've met some well-known people over the years, but-"

"Harry Potter, yeah."

Johnathan cleared his throat slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's, you know…"

"I know."

Johnathan cleared his throat again. "What are you listening to?" He nodded to the CD player.

"Drums, actually. I'm working on meditation."

"Ah." Johnathan nodded knowingly. "Don't worry; you'll get it. It just takes some work."

Harry bit his cheek on a smile. "I'm sure. So! You call Terry Terrence, huh? Terrence…"

"Hey, until just a couple of years ago I had to call him Mr. Terrence."

Harry began to giggle. "I'm so calling him that the next time I see him. I'm going to call him that forever. He's going to turn my hair green, but it'll totally be worth it. Maybe it'll catch on and the entire USAS will call him that and he'll glare at me every time he sees me."

Johnathan propped his chin up on his fist, considering Harry thoughtfully. "I always thought it would be interesting to talk to you because you're a lot like me, with all of the bodyguard rigmarole and being entirely more important than we actually are, but… I think we're more different than I first imagined. Well, you're definitely different than I imagined, but…"

"You thought I'd be taller?" Harry teased.

"Well, if we're going the way of the cliché, I thought you'd be shorter."

"Huh. That's a first."

A flicker of pleasure crossed Johnathan's expression before he chuckled. "But, no, I just… imagined something different, I guess. What we are is different, after all. A lot of people have bodyguards, but there're only so many people in the world who are important for an idea more than anything they've done. People can mostly relate to you, but they can never completely relate, you know?"

"I'm not sure I follow, actually. More important than we really are?"

"I'm important, by and large, because my father is the Magical President. I do things of my own that people know me for, of course, but it'll be a long time before 'Johnathan Keller, President Keller's son' is added to the end of any description of me instead of the beginning. So my importance is based largely on being an extension of his power, a symbol of freedom and might and all of that. I have to be protected to protect the symbol first, what I represent, and then for what I actually am."

"Oh. Oh, yeah…"

"And you're Harry Potter. Slayer of Darkness. Boy Who Lived. Vanquisher-"

"Yeah, I know the names," Harry said dryly. "Terry keeps threatening to put all of them on a T-shirt for all of my PDs to wear."

Johnathan snorted. "That sounds like something he might do."

"But yeah, I'm Harry Potter, Slayer, so on, so forth."

"But, you know…" Johnathan licked his lips and then chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. "It's just that you…"

"I'm?"

"No offense, but as far as I can tell, you didn't do anything. Your protective magic might have been amazing, even that young, or there might have been some sort of protective ward or who knows, but you didn't actively do something. So your fame isn't warranted any more than mine in that sense."

"I totally agree."

Johnathan relaxed slightly and tugged on his tie, loosening it a little. "So you're a symbol. Good versus evil. David versus Goliath. Right versus wrong. It's kind of inescapable in your story. At least in your case, though, it's directly on you. If I screw up, it's not a reflection on what I symbolize, but on my father and his power base and morals and character."

"That. Sucks." Harry reached forward and gave Johnathan's hand a pat. Johnathan's magic was laced with more confidence, warm and strong.

Johnathan laughed and absently rubbed his hand. "It does. It really does. Luckily, though, I've never been the type to be a troublemaker."

"I'd suggest mischiefmakering, personally. It's a lot more fun."

"Mischiefmakering?"

"Absolutely."

Johnathan laughed again, more softly. "I'll remember that."

"Good plan."

Johnathan shrugged. "Well. Even if your bodyguards have a more casual relationship with you, I'm sure we've had the same experiences with them. Being USAS bodyguards, it's not quite the same experience other people usually have, either. Even people with bodyguards don't entirely understand just what a circus it can be, with the multitude of schedules, and then all of the many back-up plans, A to double Z, on top of exit strategies and defense procedures and-"

"The Emergency Portkey check before you leave," Harry put in. "Every time. Every location. A run down on bodyguard positions as you're mobile, even though you've heard the exact same information ten million times before and you'll hear it another ten million. And then an EPK check once you get where you're going, like you managed to lose the Portkey during the Portkey trip to your location-"

"Oh, that one always irritates me." Johnathan ran his hands over his face with a groan. "No one has ever been able to show me evidence that an EPK can vanish during a Portkey trip. I completely understand needing to test that the magic hasn't destabilized because of the Portkey trip it just went through, leaving me with a Portkey that might randomly activate or not activate at all, but half of the time they don't even check for that, they just want to be sure I have it."

"Redundancies on top of superfluousities on top of-"

"But it is designed to keep us safe," Johnathan said with a small, wry smile. "So we can't really make a fuss."

"I'll admit, as casual as my bodyguard situation might be, I'm looking forward to just making friends here and being able to go to the pool or out to the lake or out for pizza or something and not have my decision to do something completely normal launch a full background investigation on my new friend's family, friends and other important contacts."

"It's a pretty cool experience."

"I'm not under any illusions, of course. I know the background check is necessary, but for once it's not a direct result of my decision to spend time with someone. Hathorne's run a thorough enough background check on anyone connected to the staff and students that I could, in theory, hang out around the school with a friend and his parents without having to have it cleared."

Johnathan sat up a little. "Really? Hathorne runs background checks?"

"Yeah… It's one of the many forms parents fill out for the school, agreeing to a background check if the school deems it necessary. Which it does by default. You can't have a school with so many well known kids and families and not protect them."

"I hadn't realized…"

"I like knowing the security measures in place around me. That's kind of what happens when you're actively involved and being taught about security measures and procedures instead of having certain things just drilled into you."

"Huh."

"It makes for a different bodyguard experience, too. But still pretty damned similar." Harry grinned. "Can you imagine if we went out together somewhere not cleared for free movement like Hathorne and the town? Now that would be a circus."

Johnathan looked to the ceiling. "Man… And your security rating is probably higher than mine, too. My father once had a prince making a state visit and I went out with the prince's son one afternoon and you would not believe the hoops we had to jump through. And we were visiting places that were already considered generally secure."

"As much as I might like hoops, I think I'd like to avoid those. Luckily, my security rating isn't higher than yours. If anything, it might be a little lower, actually. If I'm remembering correctly, your SR is based on having defensive training, right?"

"Yeah…"

"I've had combat training, not just defensive training. And maybe some other kinds of training."

"Maybe?"

Harry tapped his nose.

"Right." He shook his head slightly. "Huh. You know, though… I probably should have expected that. I mean, from the way my Defense teacher talks, you ought to be teaching her class."

"Exaggeration."

"Oh really?"

Harry smiled mysteriously.

"That's what I thought."

"I don't think you ever said why you came over, though," Harry said after a moment.

"Oh. Just to say hi, really. See how you were settling in. How you like the town. You're allowed to visit, aren't you?"

"I'm being treated just like every other L1 student. I just need a teacher to sign off on it; there's no security concern or anything. Not that I've had the time or opportunity yet," Harry added with a snort. "But I'm definitely looking forward to it when I get the chance. As casual as the bodyguard situation is, even going into the non-magical world, even before Harry Potter went public, there were still security restrictions on just up and going out."

Johnathan chuckled. "And I bet you have even more reason to worry about stories getting back to people they shouldn't, like your mom. Considering how much more casual things are for you, after all. I know I have that trouble, and it's much more professional on my end, so they don't report on what I'm doing unless it's something that'll put me in danger."

Harry snickered. "You'd be surprised how much mischief my bodyguards get into that they hope I don't tattle about."

Johnathan chuckled again. "Actually… no; the little I know of Terry when he's not in bodyguard mode, I probably wouldn't be too surprised. But like I said, it's something I have to keep in mind. Not that I'm doing anything I shouldn't. It's just stupid stuff. And despite the fact they actively don't report back on what I'm doing, somehow stupid things just have a habit of getting back to my parents."

"Hmm…"

"Hmm?"

"Teenage boy, stupid things, and a qualifier of 'anything I shouldn't' – it usually ends in exasperation or irritation or some other word that ends in -ation."

Johnathan grinned. "Relaxation?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Agitation."

Johnathan's grin widened. "Imagination?"

"That's enough out of you."

He began to laugh. "But seriously, no, just things my mother would decide are stupid and feel the need to lecture me on, like… going out for breakfast and deciding to get meatballs or something instead of pancakes."

"First of all, pancakes rule. There's something clearly wrong with you if you ever choose meatballs over pancakes at any point, day or night. You should seek some sort of counseling-"

"No, really, feel free to tell me your honest opinion."

Harry leaned forward to tug on Johnathan's black on black checkered tie, loosening it enough to pull it off. "Your tie is neither greatly amusing nor greatly flattering," he told him with a grin as he began to work his own tie off with care. Johnathan just stared at him in surprise. "And you, sir, are too attractive and too prominent to wear a tie that's neither." Harry slipped the tie around Johnathan's neck and adjusted it, then smoothed his hand down the blue silk embroidered with herons in mid-flight. "Much more flattering."

Johnathan looked down at the tie. "I honestly have no idea what to say to that…"

"Second of all," Harry continued, sliding Johnathan's tie around his neck and beginning to tie it, "restaurants don't even serve meatballs for breakfast. That's completely ridiculous. Bacon, sausage, ham, chicken, steak, even fish, but I've never seen meatballs served for breakfast."

"Hey, some restaurants serve dinner all day."

Harry eyed him as he considered that.

"And I could always buy meatballs and fix them for breakfast."

"And your argument dies." Harry sighed. "Right as it was getting up on its shaky newborn legs and taking its first steps towards legitimacy."

"What?"

"The idea of a restaurant serving meatballs as a part of a breakfast menu is absolutely ridiculous and should be treated as such, but you made a fair point on a place serving dinner all day-"

"Yes, I did."

"Yes, you did. More than fair; it's believable that getting something for dinner when you should be getting breakfast is something your mom, or a mom, might take issue with. They're really weird like that-"

"Yeah, they are."

"Then you ruined it all by saying you could just buy meatballs and fix them yourself for breakfast! Are you specifically going out in the morning to buy meatballs to then return home and fix? You're treading back into the land of the ridiculous. And if that's not the case, you've just tried to strengthen your argument for bodyguards being a sometimes frustrating presence that inadvertently get you in trouble for stupid things you do by implying, heavily, that you require a bodyguard presence in your private living space. Are there concerns about potted plant assassins in your life? Or perhaps killer coffee tables? Not even _I_ have that much trouble, and that's saying something."

"Potted plant assass- right, fine, it was a bad example-"

"The worst," Harry agreed.

"But it was the spirit of the example that I was going for, not the specific content."

"Dude. No. The content totally gives the spirit life when all you have is the one example. If the content doesn't make sense, we're not going to party with the spirit."

"Merlin…" Johnathan groaned. "I didn't think you'd be one of those people who overanalyze the amusement right out of something silly."

"Clearly you fail to realize that when you bring up something with as much potential awesome as meatball rebelliousness, it absolutely requires the argument to stand up to at least a gentle breeze of reason."

"You belong at Hathorne," Johnathan said with an odd little smile, eyes straying back to the tie he now wore.

"I know."

Johnathan began to laugh. "Your modesty is astonishing."

"Oh, it really is," Harry agreed. "When you're as super awesome as me, it can be quite the challenge to just come across as awesome." He winked.

Johnathan shook his head slowly.

"I do, however, have an extremely important question that just may help you redeem yourself." Harry fixed Johnathan with a rather intent look. Johnathan sobered a little and sat up straighter. "How… on earth do you fix meatballs in your room? No, seriously. Stop giggling-"

"I am most definitely not giggling," Johnathan cut in, covering up a giggle with a cough.

"Stop making high pitched yet manly noises of amusement, then," Harry corrected.

"That sounds even worse."

"Desist in making noises of merriment and explain how you fix meatballs. Are you reheating or cooking in a microwave? From frozen? If you're going out to buy meatballs to actually fix, they'd have to be cold or frozen. Surely you're not cooking them with a wand – that gets weird. Sometimes it ends in tears, and it's not always the food crying. I seriously don't recommend cooking with a wand."

Johnathan smirked. "It ended with food all over everything, didn't it?"

"I have no comment at this time."

"Hey, pretty good 'no comment' face."

"I've been practicing."

Johnathan's smirk turned into a chuckle and smile, dimples showing. "I've tried it, too. I'm pretty sure everyone does at some point. Apparently it takes great skill to cook food properly with magic alone. Even if you manage not to overheat it, make it explode, or burn it beyond all recognition, it's going to taste awful for some reason."

"So I've heard. From a friend of a friend of a cousin of a friend. So what's your meatball story? What's the secret? A microwave? Not that I have a microwave yet."

Johnathan paused. "You don't have a microwave?"

"No, not yet."

"How do you not have a microwave?"

"I just haven't gotten one yet. I will."

"You should definitely get a microwave."

"Am I to assume from your microwave incredulousness that the meatballs require a microwave, then?" Harry asked dryly.

"You definitely need a microwave. But no. Partway through L3 I had a strong enough understanding and ability with space-layering to expand my room quite nicely – and yes, I know, everyone knows, you expanded your room to epic proportions before you even officially started school-"

"I didn't say anything," Harry put in mildly.

"I'm just saying. For most of us space-layering comes in stages and we slowly expand our rooms during our time here, but I studied hard and practiced independently and managed what was, until recently, a fairly impressive expansion all in one go-"

"Go you, rockin' the layering." Harry wriggled his index fingers back and forth. "Happy finger dance."

Johnathan studied him closely. "The funny thing is… I'm pretty sure you're not mocking me."

"Nah, no mocking here. I'm just being me. Seriously, L3 space-layering rocks, no lie. Kudos to you. I mean it."

"That somehow manages to be comforting and complimentary despite the fact you have the best space-layering skills the school has seen in years. By the way, you have to invite me over to see your room, you have no choice-"

"Consider yourself invited, my good man."

"I'll consider myself invited, then." Johnathan laughed. "But as I was saying, I managed a fairly impressive expansion my third year here and I expanded the hallway leading into the room as well to make space for a small kitchenette kind of area. I installed a proper counter and cabinets, a medium size fridge, and I found a smooth cooking surface, and…" Johnathan smiled smugly, "I have a sink."

Harry sat up straighter. "A sink? A real sink? How did you manage that? Is it one of the water tank models? I looked at those over the summer and it seemed more hassle than it was worth, having to remember to check the water levels and change out the old water and refill the tank and empty the filter and-"

"Nope." Johanthan's smug look only got smugger. "It's a sink from the Magical Home Hardware chain. It comes pre-installed in a counter with all of the internal plumbing and filters set up and it acts entirely like a real sink, no tank, no elaborate pipe systems, no nonsense."

"Sold. That is completely awesome. Magical Home Hardware, right?"

"Yeah. Fair warning, though, it's a nightmare to install. All of the plumbing and filters and everything are set up, but the actual magic that runs it and working out the settings you want and all of that, that's a nightmare." Johnathan sighed a little. "MHH offers completely free installation because it's so tricky and they know it, but Hathorne policy being what it is, for admittedly good reason-"

"Not being allowed to add a luxury item to your room unless you do it yourself does cut down on the rich kids turning their rooms into little palaces, I imagine."

Johnathan nodded. "Which is fine in most cases. But that sink… I'm usually quite good at that sort of magical work, but the sink took me almost two weeks of constant fiddling every spare moment I had to figure out. And my roommate was of absolutely no help-"

"I know that feeling," Harry muttered.

Johnathan winced slightly. "I have a class with your roommate. You deserve a medal for putting up with him if his classroom behavior is any indication of what he's like in private."

"Eh, he's not so bad…" Harry trailed off at Johnathan's highly skeptical look. "Okay, he's probably just as terrible in class as he is in private, but for the moment, I find it amusing. No, really. And actually, I think he has the potential to be a fairly decent person, once he learns how to, you know, be a person."

Johnathan managed to tone down his highly skeptical look to a politely skeptical look.

"No, honestly. I really am more amused by him than anything. He tries so hard and fails so badly."

"You're the one that has to live with him," Johnathan shrugged.

"When he's not trying to be annoying, he's actually a fairly good roommate, too. He's quiet, neat, and generally keeps to his own side of the room and does his own thing. Plus, he amuses my snake friend Serish."

"He… amuses your snake."

"Yep. Yes, of course, sometimes he annoys her, but mostly she finds him amusing."

"Your snake?"

"Yep."

Johnathan eyed him. "Right. Terrence did say you were pretty unflappable."

"That's right," Harry agreed. "No flapping for me."

"And he was right that I'd find you entertaining."

"I am a creature of entertainment. Amuse the masses; that's what I do. And you install evil sinks. How did the epic sink adventure end?"

"Well, like I said, my roommate was of no help. He's a great guy, and he would have loved to have been able to help me, but he does not get along with magitech in the least. If you need something done with plants, he's your guy. Magitech, it's just best for everyone if he keeps his distance. So I was pretty much on my own and there was a lot of trial and error and more than one very messy mistake." He coughed. "My roommate set up a cot in a friend's room for a couple of nights once."

"That must have been a hell of a mess," Harry said with a laugh.

"You have no idea. I've got a pretty awesome roommate, thankfully. As for the epic sink adventure, I just managed to work it out one day, mostly by accident. I held my breath for a week after that every time I used it, like the sink was going to stop working and drench me in water, but I'd finally figured it out. It's been more useful than you can imagine, too, having a sink right there in the kitchenette area."

"No, I can imagine fairly well. Sometimes you just need a sink. So how does it work without pipes or tanks?"

Johnathan leaned in with an expectant look. "The Aguamenti Charm, actually."

"Really? Oh, wait, the third principle? It has to be."

"You sure?"

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Yes… It'd have to be. Conjuring something from raw magic has to be actively cast every time. It can't be set into an object and be triggered. And there's no way you could pull in enough water from the air to use a sink regularly. It has to be conjuring water from an existing source. Nothing else makes sense."

"Exactly. It's pretty ingenious, really. The water comes from the lake, of course, being the nearest renewable source of drinkable water, goes through a series of filters, comes out of the faucet, and the drain has a reverse Aguamenti on it, sending the water back through a filter and returning it to the lake."

"That's where you had your problem, wasn't it? The reverse Aguamenti."

Johnathan sat up in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Aguamenti is not a spell that takes well to being imprinted on an object for long-term use, let alone on a cycle that uses a trigger. The reverse of a spell like that is twice as tricky. And for the sink to work, the two spells would have to be linked together."

"Yeah, that was the problem."

"You should have started with the reverse and worked off of that."

Johnathan licked his lips thoughtfully. "You just got it. It took me a while to work that out. How did you know that? Have you covered that sort of theory with your tutors?"

Harry shrugged slightly. "I might have. It just makes sense, though."

Johnathan rubbed his hands together slowly. "But it doesn't just make sense unless you've studied complex reverse spell theory. That actually… that felt like you were working that out right then, which reminds me of…" Johnathan's puzzlement cleared. "Oh. You're a natural magic-user, aren't you?"

"That's what they tell me."

"Ah." Johnathan's expression turned more thoughtful and considering.

"The spellwork on that sink must be damned gorgeous," Harry said after a moment when Johnathan seemed content to just study him. "I'd love to see the spell blueprint."

"So would I," Johnathan agreed. "I've studied the magical structure as much as possible, but I don't want to risk changing anything or setting the magical balance off-track so I haven't been able to look much further than the surface."

"I have to get one of those sinks…"

Johnathan chuckled. "I'd help you install it," he said quietly, "but I doubt you'd need my help."

"Oh, hey, just because I can see the way it's supposed to work, that is absolutely no guarantee I can make it work. Magic is way more complicated than that. If that was an offer, consider it accepted. If that wasn't an offer, consider it accepted anyway."

Johnathan made a noise of amusement that was not quite a chuckle. "Just let me know when, then. And maybe you can give me some tips on space-layering while I'm helping you install it."

"I'll do my best with that, but no promises. I'm a Magurist. I don't know how helpful my advice would be to a non-Magurist."

"Of course! A Magurist! That explains a lot."

"Does it really? Am I no longer completely awesome?"

"You're still pretty cool," Johnathan said dryly. "It definitely explains a lot, though. I probably should have figured it out from various clues, even though Terrence never outright mentioned it. I guess… well, most Magurists are really kooky, and you kind of just defy explanation."

Harry grinned. "Don't worry, you'll see kooky eventually. The kooky train stops here. This is a major hub for the kooky train, in fact."

"I'm starting to see the possibility of that." Johnathan's watch chimed softly; he glanced down at it with a faint frown. "I have to check something at the library before class." He looked up with a half smile, eyes sweeping over the room before he focused on Harry again. "My hello turned into quite the conversation. But it was nice." He held out a hand.

Johnathan's magic was smooth and steady against Harry's when Harry shook the offered hand. "It happens with me." He pulled his hand back slowly. Johnathan's magic lingered between them for a moment.

Johnathan glanced down at his hand with a fleeting odd look, rubbing his fingers together, before he looked back to Harry. "Maybe we'll have a class together next semester." He pushed out of the chair and settled his shirt, then smoothed down the tie with a chuckle, fingers lingering on the heron. "I hear you're pretty entertaining in class."

"Mr. Entertainment, that's me."

"I believe that." Johnathan slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out a small notebook and an equally small pen to scribble something down. "If you ever want to chat about bodyguard gripes or some annoying politician or something, drop by." He tugged at the edge of the paper and it pulled free and wrapped itself up into a small square. "Second floor, room one ninety-three." He held it out.

"Cool." Harry took the paper and unfolded it to study the information. "I'm in room three twenty-eight, the third floor."

Johnathan wrote that down, then tucked the notebook away. "Great. I'll see you around." He lifted a hand in parting and turned to leave. Harry watched him thoughtfully, noting that Johnathan moved the same way Harry had been trained to move, loose and alert and ready to react. "Oh." Johnathan turned at the edge of the room and slid his hands into his pockets. "Hey. I don't know what your Wednesdays look like, but some friends and I get pizza in town around twelve-thirty. If you ever want to go, just be in the stone courtyard by twelve-thirty. They won't mind. We take turns paying instead of trying to split up the bill, by the way."

"Noon-thirty, Wednesday, stone courtyard. Got it. Theory App gets out at twelve-thirty and I have an hour before my next class, so I just might drop by."

"Great." Johnathan grinned. "I'll see you then." He hesitated. "Though, you know this is an election year, and my dad is running again, right?"

"I do have magical TV," Harry said a little dryly. "But I've been paying as little attention as I've been able to get away with, so pretty much all I know are the names of the three candidates and their parties, despite everyone's best efforts to keep me updated."

"I'd understand if you'd rather not come to lunch and be too visible around me until after the election." At Harry's frown, Johnathan pulled his hands from his pockets, folding his arms. "Reporters aren't allowed into town, but word will get around that Harry Potter is spending time with Johnathan Keller and it might influence-"

"I don't care," Harry interrupted. "If your dad was bad enough at his job that even I knew it, I might have to send out a press release or something weird about not endorsing any candidate, but he isn't, so I don't care. And frankly, if people are swayed by the friends a twelve-year-old boy makes…" Harry shook his head. "They're probably going to be getting election advice from their toaster next."

Johnathan laughed. "Seriously, though-"

"No. It's not an issue. End of discussion."

Johnathan hesitated, hands sliding into his pockets again as he shifted on his feet slightly, and then he nodded slowly and ducked out of the room.

Harry considered the place Johnathan had been standing for a moment, then reached out to the arm of the next chair and picked up a short strand of light brown hair, rolling it between his fingers. His eyes shifted to the square of paper. With a small chuckle Harry tucked the strand of hair into the paper, then folded the paper securely and slipped it into his pocket. He resettled the black on black tie, then pulled the headphones back on and restarted his music.

* * *

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* * *

Amy juggled a stack of books from arm to arm as she tried to fix her backpack straps; Harry tucked a note from the board into his shirt pocket and moved to take her books, falling in step with her. "A moving levitation charm might have been useful," he said dryly.

"What? When I can get a knight in shining bouncing tomatoes tie instead?"

Harry glanced down at his tie; tomatoes bounced from one side to the other, pinball machine style. "Are you mocking the tie?"

"Never."

"Good." He handed the books back when she held out her hands for them.

She slid a little closer to him, giving him a charming smile. "Hey, Jamie-"

"No."

"What? You don't know what I'm going to say!"

Harry eyed her. "You're going to try to convince me to join your advanced charms club, and while I completely approve of the silliness of naming the club Lucky Charms, I just don't have the time."

"That wasn't what I was going to say."

"Then what were you going to say?"

"…Fine, that's what I was going to say. Really? You're too busy? We meet twice a week to accommodate different schedules, and-"

"No. Trust me, I'd love to join Lucky Charms, if for no other reason than to tell people that I'm a Lucky Charm." He grinned. "But I honestly can't say with any confidence that I'd be able to make even half of the meetings."

"Fine." She sighed. "All right. I tried."

"Valiantly," Harry agreed. "Oh, hey, you said yesterday that your aunt might be visiting you?"

"Yeah, she might. Why?"

"I'd like to meet her, if she doesn't mind."

Amy sniggered. "Mind meeting Harry Potter? No, I don't foresee that being any sort of problem. At all."

"One day people are going to realize that Harry Potter is really just this weird kid that meditates a lot and they'll get bored and wander off."

"Yeah… no."

Harry shrugged.

"Want to have lunch tomorrow?" Amy asked. "I can pop into town and pick up some Indian food."

"Ooh, tempting. Really. But no, I already have plans. I'm heading into town with Johnathan Keller and some of his friends. He invited me out for pizza. And I'm also busy Thursday, in case you're going to ask. I'm sitting with Maxie and Kimber to go over some of the ritual theory we'll be working with next week."

"Oh ho, Keller."

"Yes. Keller. Why?"

"He's The Untouchable."

"He's the _what_?"

"He's The Untouchable."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, I heard you the first time. Thanks. What sort of ridiculous nickname is that?"

"Ridiculous nickname? What planet have you been living on?"

"One that makes sense," Harry said dryly. "And Merlin help me, I'm closer to reality than you are."

"His father is the freaking Magical President of America!-"

"I had no idea," Harry gasped.

"No, seriously. He's the freaking MP, and while he's not exactly popular with the old blood families and traditional values people, absolutely everyone else loves him."

"It's kind of interesting, really," Harry mused. "For someone who's a Conservative, he's been leaning pretty heavily towards Progressive values lately."

"And people love him! Sure, not everyone agrees with his politics, but he's become a bastion of family values, smarter government spending, and-"

"Yeah, I've seen his reelection commercials," Harry interrupted.

"People might grumble about little specifics, but by and large, you look like an ass if you have a problem with the Magical President-"

"Yeah, because it's so rare for people to be asses," Harry snorted.

"And by extension Johnathan Keller," Amy finished with a huff. "So if you want to not look like a complete jackass, you leave Johnathan Keller alone. I mean, seriously, would you get on the bad side of the son of one of the most powerful and popular people in the country?"

"Sure. If I didn't agree with something he was doing."

Amy stared at him for a moment, then groaned. "Right. Harry Potter. Of course you would; you're you."

Harry stuck out his tongue.

"Yeah, well, most people can't claim to be _Harry Potter_, so there you go. He's The Untouchable."

"That's completely ridiculous. _The Untouchable_. But hey, better him than me." Harry fixed Amy with a hard stare after a moment. "They don't have some sort of ridiculous nickname for me, do they?"

"I gotta go." Amy turned to head down a side hallway, then stopped abruptly as a shimmering rainbow of magic blocked her way. "Oh come on. You can't just be throwing up your rainbow wall any time someone tries to run away from you."

"I've only done it three times, and it was all with you, and you're not answering that question with 'I gotta go.' I seriously already have a nickname?"

She turned and shuffled back. "Well… I don't think so. Though if you come across a conversation about someone acting completely outlandish or doing something freaking unbelievable, and especially both, it's usually a sure bet that they're talking about you."

"Well done me." Harry smoothed down his tie. "Perfectly acceptable."

"There's no telling what some of the snobs might be muttering about you, of course," Amy said with a shrug, slowing as they entered the main building's foyer. "But I doubt they'd ever say it to your face."

Harry made a vague noise, pulling out his pocket watch to check the time.

"You're not late," his watch muttered grudgingly.

"Thanks…" Harry shoved the watch back in his pocket, giving Amy a very unimpressed look as she began to giggle. "Thanks. Well, I can't imagine why I'd want to spend any more time with someone who has no sympathy for my constant moody watch struggles, but I'm free for lunch on Friday. Provided there's free Indian food involved."

She giggled some more, nodding. "Yeah, I'll grab food from town and meet you by the lake."

"Fabulous, darling."

She rolled her eyes.

Harry grinned. "I'm off to class. And I'll be sure to add lunch to my calendar so no one else steals it."

"Good. Oh, wait." She set her books down and reached out to straighten his tie, then brushed a bit of invisible fluff from his shirt. "I don't know how you get away with that sort of distraction," she said, patting one of the bouncing tomatoes.

"I don't. I can turn the charm off in class."

"Ah. Of course." She gave his tie another pat, smoothing it down, then gave his shoulder a little shove. "Off to class. Before you're late and your watch gets even more moody."

"Oh, it's going to be moody no matter what I do," Harry sighed, heading up the stairs. "I have to silence it for class."

"Good luck."

Harry waved, taking the stairs two at a time. When he hit the second floor, he turned left towards the divination classroom, passing the west entrances of the library as he reached up to loosen his tie. He nodded to someone who noticed him through the open doors of the library.

"Hey, wait." One of his classmates hurried out of the last set of west wing library doors and joined Harry with a jaw cracking yawn. "Man, I could do with this class being earlier in the day," he mumbled.

"What you could really do with is eating a smaller dinner on the days we have class," Harry said, elbowing Eric in the stomach with a grin. Eric shied away with a whine, then glared. "It's only seven," Harry pointed out. "That's not really late."

"It's late enough," Eric muttered, rubbing his stomach. "And I'm hungry at dinner. If I don't eat, I'll have to eat someone during class or something. I won't have a choice."

"So, basically you're saying that the hunger of not eating for maybe six hours is enough to turn you into a cannibal? That's pretty special. And maybe a little terrifying."

"I get hungry."

"You could just eat something small, genius. That's what I do. And since the caf is open until campus curfew, you have until ten to keep your cannibal tendencies in check. Or you could, you know, take food back to your room for later, or just keep some food in your room, or make friends with someone who always has food in their room and won't kill you for knocking on their door at midnight. You don't have to shove everything you can fit on your plate into your mouth just because your stomach is growling."

Eric made a face.

"Unless you have a bear trapped in your stomach. But if that's the case, you have a whole other set of problems."

"Hah."

"There'll be more pizza tomorrow night," Harry promised. "They always have pizza."

"Eh…"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Boys."

"And you aren't?"

"Apparently not, if being a boy means using a shovel is the preferred method of food intake." Harry opened the classroom door, leaning back against it for Eric to go through first.

"That's because you're weird."

"Yes, weird, but strangely able to stay awake in class. It kind of rocks."

Eric mumbled something as he made his way to the back of the room and sank into his chosen seat. Harry rolled his eyes again with a snicker, settling in his own seat closer to the front of the room and digging his watch out. His tablemate, Kira, was already sitting at the other end of the three-person table. She glanced up as he shoved his now silenced watch into his pocket and began to set out his notebook and pens.

"Letter from home?" Harry asked, noting the Russian characters on the paper she was holding.

She nodded, studying him. "Your tie is loose."

"Yeah. Thanks." Harry tugged at his tie vaguely, twisting around in his chair to study the rest of the classroom. The desks were in the center of the room in two rows of three, and the long, double-sided chalkboards had been wheeled away from the side walls to the front of the room, blocking the charts and posters. He shifted sideways in his chair, nodding absently to the boy sitting directly behind him as he studied the back of the classroom. The pillows, cushions, and bean bag chairs were piled up in the corner of the room, not sitting in front of the floor to ceiling bookcases that took up most of the back wall, and the curtains on the display cabinets had been pulled back, revealing shelves of crystal balls, tarot decks, pendulums, and other divination paraphernalia.

"Is there something interesting back there?" Sean asked, twisting around in his seat to follow Harry's gaze.

"Nah." Harry focused on Sean, brows going up at the dark circles under Sean's eye and general droop of his posture. "I was just getting an idea of what we're doing today. It looks like lecture and discussion…" Harry's eyes narrowed slightly as he peeked at Sean's aura; it was drooping, as well, dull, muddy, sluggish, with a hint of bland cake. "Yeah… you look like absolute crap, like you haven't slept in a week crap."

"Not really. But theory and discussion this evening is all the better for me." He yawned, covering his face with both hands and turning his head to the side. He rubbed at his eyes as he turned back to Harry. "I don't believe I could focus as required for meditation this evening. I was up late researching a potions theory – I think I may have discovered a triple partial-potion combination that can serve as the base for a wholly original creation!" He straightened, eyes lighting up, as his lethargic aura surged with sparks of passion.

"That sounds super totally awesome."

Sean leaned forward earnestly, one hand curling around the side of the desk in a white knuckled grip, as if the desk was going to dash away from him at any moment. "While I was in the lab last week, I noticed that two of the potions that I was brewing for one of my independent projects had similar starting properties," he confided with quiet intensity. "And while I was waiting for one of them to turn the correct hue of orange and the other was in a cooling period, I was researching a third potion to examine the unique ingredient interactions it undergoes during brewing for a hypothesis I'm working on, and it occurred to me that the third potion could very well have a positive interaction with the other two if the three of them were to be combined in just the right way. If I could find that golden combination of those three partially completed potions, I will be on my way to an entirely new creation that I believe will be more than viable, and that will-"

"Haven't you created, like, three entirely new potions since you started Hathorne?" Harry interrupted with a grin. "And by the way, breathing is also super totally awesome."

Sean sucked in a deep breath, clasping his hands on the table as he shook his head solemnly. "Those were really nothing more than modifications to existing potions using theoretical research already available. I take full credit for finding the flaw in the research and adjusting the variables accordingly, but they were hardly original creations. They simply perform as they were intended to now. The theory I proved and the adjustments I made were, admittedly, quite exciting at the time, but in my opinion, the potions community has overreacted just a little to the whole situation."

"Right…"

"I feel strongly that the Potions Approval Board will identify them – quite correctly – as highly skilled modifications. Based on previous research and existing theories not my own, I simply cannot claim them, nor would I want to."

"Go you?"

Sean properly focused on him for the first time. "You seem fairly lackluster in your support."

"Well. You're exhausted. You're in Level Two and you're dual enrolling in Hathorne University's potions program next year. You seriously don't have anything to worry about. I'm pretty sure you can afford to get, oh, I don't know, maybe five hours of sleep a night. It's just a thought."

Sean gave him a lopsided, gap-toothed grin. "Am I going to get the soon to be copyrighted 'take better care of yourself before your brain runs away and then you'll just flop around like a fish out of water singing, "If I Only Had a Brain"' lecture?"

"Hmm…" Harry eyed him. "Not today." He held up a warning finger. "But next time…"

Sean laughed. "I'll remember that." He glanced at the wall clock. "We're running a bit late today."

Harry turned to look at the clock high on the front wall, then grinned over his shoulder as the tap, tap, tapping sound of high heels echoed down the hallway, coming towards the classroom. "Try to look awake, yeah?" he said over his shoulder. "But I doubt you'll fool her spooky mind powers."

Sean gave him a thumbs up.

Harry resettled in his seat, adjusting his pens a little as their teacher walked in. She gave the classroom a sweeping look as she stopped between the two chalkboards, setting her briefcase down on a small table. "I see we're all here tonight. Good." She pulled some papers from her bag, set up two notebooks with enchanted pens to record the lecture, then checked her watch as she turned to face the classroom, smoothing a hand down her dark business skirt.

"Good evening, class. I apologize for being a few minutes late. The University is in the middle of some intriguing psychic research, and as the head of the Divination and Related Studies department, I'm required to be there when we conduct certain kinds of practical tests. Our testing shall conclude within the week, so you'll have to bear with us starting a few minutes late for just a little longer." She rubbed her hands together, studying the students closely. Her attention lingered for a second over Harry's shoulder. "I trust everyone is well?"

The class chorused an assortment of general well being.

"Good." She nodded to the other side of the room. "Mr. Rothburt, do see me after class and I'll arrange for you to get the notes and exercises that you'll be missing on Thursday."

A boy sitting across from Harry frowned. "But I'll be here… oh, okay, right. I'll do that."

"And Miss Summers? I strongly recommend that you reconsider your answer to a proposal that you received sometimes within the last three months. The position you'd be taking would be a waste of your time, as you fear, but the people you'll meet during that time will more than make up for the experience if you stay sharp."

"Thank you, Dr. Byre!"

Dr. Byre's eyes swept the room again. "Ah, Mr. Potter… you continue to make my flashes of foresight both amusing and quite strange."

"It's what I live for, ma'am."

"It's quite odd to find myself saying this, but – for that it might be worth, Mr. Potter, I strongly recommend that you avoid agreeing to an idea proposed to you by someone dressed as a large onion."

Harry opened his mouth, then paused. "A large onion?"

"Yes."

"The purple or white kind?"

Dr. Byre paused in the act of putting on her glasses. "You're actually so likely to encounter more than one kind of large onion that you need clarification? No, never mind, the answer to that is resoundingly yes, of course." She stared into space for a second. "My feeling is the purple kind. Though, they're actually called red onions."

"Got it. Avoid idea-bearing red onions that in reality look more purple than red, even if they're actually called red onions."

She pressed her lips together, fighting a smile. "Yes, Mr. Potter. And do let me know how that works out for you. Please."

Harry tossed out a salute.

Dr. Byre studied him for a lingering moment, lips twitching a little more, before she finished the motion of putting on her glasses. She adjusted the cuffs of her blouse and took a step forward, clasping her hands behind her back.

"The time has come for me to introduce you to my subject and this class. I'm sure that's a confusing thing for me to say, given that we're almost a month in and that's usually something that comes up on the first day, but I've found that the delay serves me well. You see, everyone in here came into this class with an opinion fairly well formed about divination as a subject and the fact you're required to take introduction to divination. Most students are skeptical to some degree, yet curious, a little willing to believe, but there're always students that lean to one extreme or the other, believing that divination holds the answer to every question they have, or convinced that this class is a complete waste of time. Yes, I saw you back there the first few days, Mr. Barr, arms crossed, looking like you'd rather be skinning frogs for potions."

Harry glanced around in time enough to see Robert's faint look of surprise at the comment, and then Robert grinned, laughing along with the class. "I still don't really believe it, Doctor B."

"But you're willing to listen now, aren't you?" She smiled at Robert's nod. "And that's why I wait. Don't get me wrong, I like skeptics. I really do. You keep those of us with a real talent honest. But I like a skeptic who's willing to listen and learn, not just hear words, and I have no right to expect that from the first minute you walk through the door. In another class, yes, you have to trust that the teacher is returning valuable knowledge in exchange for your valuable time for a little while, but I would lose too many brilliant, able, eager to learn students if I expected you to have the same faith in divination, and me, as you have in charms or potions and those instructors.

"So, I wait to talk about my subject and this class. You will be far more willing to keep an open mind once I've shown you that I'm a teacher deserving your time and that there's something of value to learn in this class. I give you documented history, talk about the real people behind the legends and the facts behind the myths, and I invite frank discussion. I ease you into divination practices just a little, yes, but my goal is to engage you in active learning from the very start, before I start asking you to wrap your minds around something that requires more faith. I've learned that if there's one thing that a student at Hathorne will have in common with everyone else in the class, it'll be the passion to learn, to know, and to understand. From there, through the shared bond of education, respecting each other's intelligence and ideas, we can move a little further away from that which you can quantify, qualify and assign values to and embark on a different kind of educational journey.

"Where should I begin? I could tell you that those who sneer at divination because a seer can't predict on demand simply have no understanding of the finer magical gifts. I could tell you that divination is not one of the magic sciences, it's an art, a gift, and just as you wouldn't ask a painter or composer to produce a masterwork on command, so, too, you would never ask a true diviner to foresee the future the same way. I could certainly tell you that, and many other things, and it would be quite perfectly true, but you'd expect that. It would be the predictable song and dance, the usual chicanery – yes, Mr. Potter, I'm sure you like song and dance," she added dryly. "And I'm sure you have a definite opinion on chicanery. You can stop waving your hand around."

Harry grinned. "I just felt it was the right time to add my two cents."

"Oh, I'm sure it'd be worth more than two cents. But there's no need to get excited. I won't be telling you those things. What I'll tell you is this – class has been simple thus far, the dream journal, small readings, lecture and discussion, but that will be changing. As strange as this may sound, this class is easily one of the most important classes you'll be taking at Hathorne, but not for its mystical aspects. While that's the subject of this class, it's not what the class is actually about. What you'll be taking away from this class will be essential skills in meditation and focus that you'll certainly thank me for once you take Ritual Magic in any form, you'll study astrology and deepen your understanding of the relationships between the celestial bodies and their magical power, you'll get a firm grounding in Arithmancy, you'll expand on your ability to think rationally and make solid inferences, and many other things. Divination itself is more than smoke and incense, and there are real skills to be learned in this class.

"I don't expect everyone to become seers, or to have any sort of actual gift. I expect many of you will find most practical exercises ending in bland book interpretations of the physical results you see with nothing of the intuitive involved. The true art requires a real gift, a little something extra that can't be learned, and while a few of you may have it, many of you will have only a wisp of it at best. But all of you can acquire an understanding of divination. Understanding the art only requires a brain." She laughed quietly. "You wouldn't be here if you were lacking that."

Harry raised his hand, speaking as he did. "I'm pretty sure I left my brain on a bus headed for-"

"Trust me, Mr. Potter, you have your brain."

"His sanity, though…" someone in the back of the class snickered.

Harry turned around with a mock scowl. "You're always being mean to me, Lizzy. So mean."

She smiled sweetly.

"As you've seen on your syllabus," Dr. Byre continued, drawing their attention back to the front of the room, "this class is broken up into two sections of study, Logic Divination and Intuitive Divination. So let's jump right in, shall we? You've seen in your readings that not all is well with that division and that there are some within the divination community that believe divining things through logic and study is impossible and only the intuitive workings can be considered true divination. I expect it's become obvious from some of your reading selections that I don't believe that to be true at all, but why? Make note of this, it's very important." She glanced around the room. "Yes, Miss Tuple?"

"Logic Divination is predicting outcomes based on some form of quantifiable data. There's some measurable pattern to everything, even in chaos; it's just a matter of understanding patterns."

"To understand the pattern, yes," Dr. Byre nodded. "That's very important in divination, and in many other disciplines. With Logic Divination, the patterns are easier to find, and the variables that go into the prediction are more easily seen. The variables are also unchanging and have a specific form, and it requires little interpretation to see the signs that we must see before we can begin to interpret meaning. So, what are our divination techniques? And how do they work? Go ahead, Mr. Dealer."

"The variables that need to be interpreted are all numbers or facts or fixed positions, concrete sorts of things, like you see in arithmancy and numerology and palmistry."

"How do we define Intuitive Divination, then? What are those techniques? Miss Castle?"

"It's all intuitive, with more, well, variable variables. There are physical signs you can see, but it's all… It's like looking for shapes in the clouds. Everyone can see the cloud, and most people might be able to see something that looks a little like a dog or whatever, but no one is seeing the exact same thing. It's a lot more mystical and all about unlocking harder to define variables that aren't readily seen by a lot of people, using things like animal entrails, which I sincerely hope we skip, and looking into crystal balls and fire omens."

Dr. Byre laughed. "I expect you see more than enough entrails and other unpleasant things in other classes. We'll be sticking to methods that require only a couple of paper towels or a rinse in the sink to clean up. Don't worry."

"That's a relief."

"Those are our methods. But at its most basic, what is divination really? Divination is very easily abused, and it's not only because people are naïve, gullible, that they want to be fooled. Even the most savvy and skeptical can be taken in by the right fraud. The methods most open to interpretation leave more room to create tales that are magical and promising, but still nebulously possible enough that people not only want to believe in them, they feel they can, that the prediction could come true at any moment. But it's the logic methods that take in the most people. The strictest and most logical methods of divination will almost always provide something, no matter how small, that sounds reasonable, something that people can believe in, and most predictions are quite likely to actually happen. Only a fraction of these people have an undiscovered psychic or magical gift, and yet many of them can make fairly accurate predictions for years. What is divination that allows this? Any ideas, Miss Falaski? You have a very thoughtful look on your face."

"It sounds like… it's an inspired guess based on what you know about people," she said slowly. "It's kind of like Sherlock Holmes."

"And that's exactly what divination is – divining events most likely to happen based on patterns and behavior and personality. Divination is seeing details, understanding people, building a bigger picture and making inferences from it. It begs the question: how do we know that divination of all types is nothing more than cleverness and coincidence? Even my flashes could be faked.

"It's a small world when you attend Hathorne. I could have heard about Miss Summers' proposition from any number of people; I doubt she's kept it secret. I may know that Mr. Rothburt will have a professor asking him to do something during the time of my next class or know a friend of a friend who knows the family is planning something for him. Even Mr. Potter's red onion can be faked, as strange as it may sound on the surface. I gave no timeframe, I gave no location, I gave no details on what sort of idea might be proposed." She smiled slightly. "And yet it's believable, for however much amusement we might get from it, because we know Mr. Potter. A false diviner must always know their audience.

"So how do we know it's not all trickery? How do we know it's not just enough fact layered in with fiction, based on observation and human nature's tendency to repeat past actions, both small and large scale? Many people will tell you that there's no way to answer that. Ultimately, that's something that you have to decide for yourself. I'll just provide you with all of the information I can in the time we have, and in that vein, I'd like to talk to you about some recent studies that have been done concerning the nature of time that suggest there's some legitimacy to true divination. Has anyone seen the M. Schrueal studies?" She gazed around the room. "Three of you. More than I expected." She nodded to Harry. "Would you be so kind as to explain, very briefly, the subject of the studies? And please, Mr. Potter, I do mean briefly."

"It's about the nature of time-turners," Harry said with a grin. "Is that brief enough?"

"A little more, if you please," Dr. Byre said a little dryly.

"The fact that time-turners exist at all proves that magic isn't held within time, captive and stationary. Instead, magic interacts with time and moves through time, though it doesn't keep pace with time. It stands to reason that someone attuned to that magic, like a Seer, could pick up information coming from somewhere in the future or even the past. That's the theory discussed."

"Well done. We'll look at these studies a little ahead of schedule on our syllabus. Madelyn Schrueal has kindly agreed to make time to speak to our class next week, which means between now and then we'll study her theory, look at some of her detractors, and build a good foundation for her visit. As this material is largely unknown to most of the class, I'll be sure to have tonight's lesson transcript sent to your rooms by curfew. For those of you who are staying at home, if you want them before the morning, speak to me after class, otherwise they'll be in your school mailboxes tomorrow. I've also already alerted the library to have the relevant supplemental reading materials and the works cited in her studies to be on our class bookshelf by tonight. So let's take a moment to review the study itself." She waved a hand, sending a stack of photocopies to the front two tables to be passed back. "And then we'll see what's on your minds."


	40. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: I own magical America and the theories, ideas, etc. that are not infringing on JKR's world.

Info: Warnings and story info found in previous chapters. Questions and comments swiftly addressed on the yahoo group, so feel free to join.

Reviews: Pure Happiness

Betas: Super, massive, tons of love for Shadow and Styx. Without them, my chapters would be much sadder. And super hugs love for my muse/ sounding boards Megan and Felix.

AN: As you can see, I'm still working on the story and I don't intend to stop. But I think it's safe to say that updates will be a little longer in coming than I had hoped, though hopefully not as long as the last two have been. I'm attending Florida State University and I've been a little busy.

AN2: Hathorne class list has been posted on my yahoo group.

If there's bizarre formatting or lacking of formatting or some other visual problem - its all ffnet's fault. Super.

Posted 01.09.12

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A Different Start: American Harry Prequel 40

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"You're late," his watch muttered from the depths of his pocket. "Again."

"More than aware, watch," Harry muttered back, pausing at the foot of the stairs to adjust one of the straps on his backpack. As he started across the foyer towards the front office, a voice called out from the hallway opposite.

"Hey, Jamie, do-?"

"No time," Harry cut off, turning to jog backwards. "I have this lunch thing and then there's the classes thing and then there's the dinner thing. I'll talk to you then."

Mindy laughed and waved him on. "Don't forget to bring the Charms research."

"I never leave home without it." Harry waved back and turned, then stopped short as he almost tripped over a library cart. The cart wheeled back about a foot and the stone gargoyle perched on one of the handles shook a tiny fist at him. "Hey, you were the one about to run into me, little dude. And don't pretend you were going to poke me. I don't have any overdue books. You just weren't paying attention."

The gargoyle crossed its arms and hunched in on itself sullenly.

"I don't have time to feed you." Harry reached out to tap the little stone top hat on its little stone head as he passed. "Go steal someone else's pocket change."

"You're still late," his watch muttered, resigned. "Getting later. And later. And even-"

Harry pulled the watch from his pocket as he crossed the foyer. "I will conjure up some stones, build a well, conjure up water and then throw you down the well if you don't stop that, watch."

His watch was silent a moment, then mumbled, "Late."

"Don't think I won't well you." Harry stuffed the watch back into his pocket and turned down the short hallway that led to the front office. He stopped just inside the office to sign out in the thick Student Activities book, pausing for a moment to study Johnathan Keller's name scrawled messily on the next line up.

"How may I help you?"

Harry looked up as Mrs. Abernathy floated through the bookcase that divided the front part of the room from the back. "I'm going into town, Mrs. A. I stopped by yesterday afternoon to drop off my signed request and get the map and everything, so I should be good to go." Harry pulled his Hathorne ID out of his wallet and slid it over the sensor above the book. He put the ID back slowly, watching as the date and time appeared to the right of his name. "Plus, I'm going into town with some older students."

Mrs. Abernathy slid halfway through the counter to peer at the book before drifting back behind the counter proper, clasping her hands together in the folds of her flower patterned dress. "Would you care to leave anything behind, Mr. Potter?" She gestured behind him. "Just pick a locker and take the key with you."

"That would be great, in fact." Harry turned to the lockers set into the wall behind him, some full-sized, some half-sized, and only a handful with keys missing from their locks. He pulled his backpack off and peered inside to make sure he had everything he needed before shoving it into one of the half-size ones at the bottom.

"Really, really late," his watch sighed. "Really-"

"If you don't shut up, I'll leave you here, too," Harry threatened, hand hovering over the locker key. "Don't think I don't have an alternate means of telling time." His watch was silent. "Good." He pulled the key out and pocketed it.

"Is your watch supposed to do that?" Mrs. Abernathy asked.

"No, it's not. It's really not."

She laughed. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Potter?"

"I think I'm good."

"Then enjoy your visit."

"That's pretty much guaranteed," Harry said with a grin, heading for the door. "There's going to be pizza. See you later, Mrs. A."

"Certainly, Mr. Potter."

"You really are late," his watch murmured so quietly Harry almost didn't catch it.

Harry put on an extra burst of speed as he crossed the foyer and reached the doors just as someone was coming in, barely mumbling a greeting as he slipped outside and stumbled to a stop.

"Motherfu- Merlin of God! Beast door from hell!" Harry shuddered as the identification magic wriggled and crawled all over him, making his skin hum and twitch like something inside desperately wanted to get out. As the last of it slid over him, he turned and kicked the door, then kicked it again for good measure with a growl. "You- I- One day, door…" He gave the door one last kick before he sucked in a calming breath, shutting down his magical awareness almost entirely as he turned, only to stop short.

Johnathan and a stocky boy Harry half recognized were standing nearby, both staring at him like he'd lost his mind.

"Hey, guys," Harry greeted casually, sliding his hands into his pockets as he wandered over. "Am I late?" He gave his watch a silencing squeeze before it could say anything.

"Late…? Uh." Johnathan checked his watch. "A little. But we're still waiting for… what was that?"

"What was what?"

"Beast door from hell?" the other boy said.

"Ohh, that." Harry glanced back at the door for a second. It doored back at him. "That was the door trying to eat my soul and me strongly protesting the invasion." They continued to stare at him. "Magic isn't being very nice to me."

"Oh." Johnathan leaned over to the other boy. "He's a Magurist."

"Ohhh." He nodded slowly. "Yeah, that makes a lot of sense."

"So! I'm late! Are there more people? I kind of thought there'd be more people."

"Yeah." Johnathan nodded towards a lanky boy just beyond the courtyard, crouching in the grass beside the path to town, intently watching something. "Gav's studying a frog or something over there. He's… a little weird about them, to be honest." Johnathan shrugged. "But we're still waiting for Storm and Bidgie."

"Promising names," Harry approved.

Johnathan gestured to the boy beside him. "And this is Meyer Wendon."

Harry accepted the brisk handshake the other boy offered, easing his shields just enough to get an impression of confidence from the contact as he eyed the bright blue streaks in Meyer's hair. "You're the Varsity Quodpot Captain, aren't you?"

"That's me." He grinned, showing off bright blue braces. "Win-it-all Wendon."

He pulled his shields in tightly again. "I knew I recognized you."

"And I certainly recognize you," Meyer laughed.

"Yeah, the Harry Potter thing."

"Oh, well, that thing, yeah – but that's not what I'm talking about. You're the new Varsity Quidditch Seeker! Most players get put on the Junior Varsity team first, you know, or at the very least don't get put on the Varsity team the third week of school."

Harry laughed, shrugging. "It was a good day."

"I'll say." Meyer leaned in close, forcing Harry to look up even more to meet his eyes. "You know, there's no rule against being on the Quidditch _and_ Quodpot teams."

"Yeah, no." Harry took a step back. "I know that Quodpot is the big American game, but I'm definitely a Quidditch player. Unless you guys have a secret Seeker position I don't know about."

"No. Damn." Meyer sighed. "Val won't shut up about you."

"Val… Valin?"

"Yeah, your captain. We've been friends for years. I've never seen Mr. Critical this excited about a new player. If he doesn't shut up about what a fantastic flier you are and how versatile you are and how well you work with others, I'm going to curse him."

"You'll have no choice?" Harry asked with a grin.

"None at all."

Harry shrugged nonchalantly, even if he couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "Everyone on the team is nothing short of fantastic, and Val's a great captain. I really like working with him."

"I'm a great captain, too," Meyer offered with a hopeful grin.

"Still a no."

"Damn."

"Did you really try out for all of the positions?" Johnathan asked curiously.

"Yeah, I thought it would be fun."

"Why?"

"I like people to know the range of my abilities," Harry said. "And I like keeping my skills sharp in other positions. If my captain and team don't know I'm a decent Chaser, it's less likely I'll be allowed to play Chaser in practice."

Meyer snickered. "Val says you're a crap Keeper."

"Not even I can be perfect at everything."

"Oh, I think I see the girls," Johnathan said, nudging Meyer as he shadowed his eyes with his hand, peering towards the side of the building.

"Shhh!" Meyer nudged him back, a little urgently. "They'd beat you if they heard you say that. And me, too, for good measure."

"That's why I don't say it where they can hear," Johnathan muttered. "And it's not like Storm even cares. It's Bidgie."

"She'll beat you for calling her a girl?" Harry asked, glancing between them. "I don't get it. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal."

"And that's because you're _rational_."

Johnathan scowled at Meyer. "Hey, let's not forget that this is entirely and only your fault."

"No. This is all Bidgie's fault," Meyer countered. "She started it."

"Okay, sure, if you want to call it that. By calling you a boy."

"Exactly. She called me a boy."

"You… are a boy," Harry pointed out slowly, though he couldn't stop himself from glancing at the front of Meyer's pants. "Right?"

Meyer followed his gaze. "Yes! I'm a boy! I mean, I'm a young man. Definitely a guy is what I'm saying."

Harry shrugged. "I'm still confused, then."

"Genius over here decided to make a big deal out of Bidgie calling him a boy one day," Johnathan groaned. "So, Bidgie, rationally, very rationally, pointed out that we call her and Storm girls. That led to an argument about the appropriate use of boy versus girl, and the implied insult of calling a young man a boy, but the social acceptability of calling a young lady a girl, and the idea of society sanctioned substitute words and cultural associations-"

"Whoa," Harry interrupted. "Just, whoa. Was that the actual argument? In those words?"

"In those words," Meyer said. "More or less. I thought it all out beforehand and everything."

"And how long ago was this?"

Meyer muttered something, kicking the ground.

"What was that?"

"Our first year here," Johnathan sighed.

"Riiight. So I see I totally belong here, if those are the kinds of ridiculous arguments you have. But that argument is absolutely ridiculous."

"No it isn't!"

"Yeah, it totally is. Merlin, save me from the ego of twelve-year-old boys."

"See!" Johnathan pointed at Harry. "A reasonable human being!"

Meyer fixed Johnathan with a thoroughly unimpressed look before he turned his attention back to Harry. "You're twelve, aren't you?"

"Not that twelve. I might be a pain in the ass over something like that for a day or two, but I have way better things to do with my time than let it continue on for years. Things like organize my socks."

"I'm pretty sure you've just been insulted in some way," Johnathan said with a smirk.

"Hey, I only pointed out that 'guys' was a much better alternative," Meyer argued. "It's Bidgie that turned the conversation into a verbal death match."

Johnathan groaned. "And genius over here still randomly brings all of this up because somewhere in his Quodpot damaged brain, he seems to think that this is an argument he still has enough wiggle room in to actually win. And now Bidgie has started smacking us _both_ when it happens, as if I have any control over the stupid things that come out of _his_ mouth."

"Sucks," Harry told him with sympathy.

"Yeah, well, she's a girl," Meyer muttered.

"She will beat you," Johnathan said. "She will. And I'm not in the least ashamed to say that I'll run away and leave you to your fate."

"You're a terrible friend."

Harry laughed. "I'm inclined to let her beat you, too."

Meyer turned a betrayed look on him. "We're not even really friends yet and you're already being a terrible friend. This doesn't speak well at all for our relationship."

Harry shrugged, stifling a giggle.

Johnathan smoothed a hand down his shirt with a nonchalant look. "I don't envy Bidgie's boyfriend at all."

"Hey." Meyer shoved him. "She's a perfectly wonderful girlfriend."

Johnathan grinned and shoved back. "Gee, that sounds rehearsed."

Meyer shoved back. "Well, it's not."

"Oh, that's right. She's a great girlfriend. It's her boyfriend that's terrible."

"Her boyfriend is the best boyfriend in the world, I'll have you know."

Harry snorted as Johnathan and Meyer got locked into a shoving match that sent them stumbling back a little more with every shove. He rolled his eyes and turned away from them to look for someone approaching, only to come face to very curvy chest. He stumbled back.

"It's good to see someone behaving for a change," she said with a grin, stepping towards him like she was about to give him a hug.

Harry half tripped back another step and seized her hand to shake, making the bracelets all up and down her arm jangle. "Hi! Bidgie or Storm?"

She laughed. "Bidgie. Hang on." She stepped around him and ended the shoving match with one well-placed shove of her own that sent Johnathan and Meyer stumbling in opposite directions, bracelets jangling wildly on both arms.

"That was impressive."

"Thank you." She lifted an arm to wave. "Come on, Storm! A little energy!"

Harry glanced back and shaded his eyes with a hand to better see the approaching figure. The figure waved back lazily, not picking up her pace in the slightest as she smoothed her hand over the rainbow scarf wrapped around her waist and pushed multi-colored hair back over her shoulder.

Johnathan let out a heavy breath. "It looks like she's doing her slow thing again today."

Harry glanced over. "Slow thing?"

"Yeah. She's taking time to appreciate breathing in nature's air and the ground beneath her feet and the way birds fly and the leaves rustle and I don't even know what else."

Meyer groaned. "Basically, we're never going to eat."

Harry turned to study the newcomer again. She was only a few yards away, and now he could see that the strange multi-coloring of her hair were actually dozens, if not hundreds, of tiny, beaded braids that fell to her waist and half-blended with her bright scarf. A small Capuchin monkey perched on her shoulder, clutching a handful of braids.

"That is... monkey."

Johnathan sniggered. "Yes, that is monkey."

Harry shot him an unimpressed look, then looked around again as the sound of clacking beads quieted. She had stopped next to him, adjusting the patched cloth bag over her shoulder as she looked fixedly at the ground.

"So, you must be Storm..."

She held a finger to her lips and crouched, black skirt pooling around her. She studied the ground for a moment, then carefully picked up a piece of string, giving it a little shake before tying it around the end of one of her braids. Harry stared for a moment at her bare feet as she stood.

"Yes, this is Storm," Meyer put in. "And now we're all here. So let's go."

"RaineStorm, properly," she corrected, leaning in to kiss Harry's cheek with a smile, not moving a step. Beads brushed against his face. Even through his tightened shields he felt a soft hum of magic from them. "But do call me Storm. And you're Harry Potter. I imagine not needing to introduce yourself gets tiresome after a while." She tapped her lips thoughtfully. "I must admit, you weren't entirely what I was expecting."

Meyer groaned.

"People knowing me is still pretty new, actually," Harry said slowly, trying not to stare at her mismatched eyes, both startlingly bright, one blue and one green. "So, what were you expecting?"

"A top hat."

Harry frowned in surprise. "A... top hat? Like, an actual top hat? On my head?"

She nodded quite sincerely.

"Well... I feel completely inadequate now. Not only do I not have a top hat, I don't have the words to respond to that."

She laughed and patted him on the head. "That's all right."

Harry glanced at her shoulder. "You have a monkey."

"I do. He's my familiar." She reached up to give him a little scratch. "Not really, though. At least not yet. I'm hoping we'll start to form a bond like that in time. He might not be as inherently magical as a cat, but he has his advantages. Like tiny little hands." She shrugged her shoulder a little. "Say hello, Quaae."

The monkey chittered and hopped on her shoulder before he solemnly held out a tiny hand. Harry couldn't help but grin as he offered his finger in return and the monkey gave it a shake.

"He's pretty friendly." Harry laughed. "Not that I have much experience with monkeys."

"He'll be even friendlier once he gets to know you," RaineStorm said as Quaae turned his attention to picking through her beaded braids. "Make sure you check your pockets before you head off. He likes to steal things."

"Duly noted."

"Not to interrupt the monkey ogling," Johnathan called out, heading for the path, "but we really should get pizza. We're already running late and I have a test in a few hours. So breathe and watch the birds while walking at a reasonable pace."

"I was ready in more than enough time to take my time." RaineStorm gave Quaae a settling pat and followed. "Bidgie was obsessing over the number of times she used 'overcompensation' in her paper and refused to leave until she'd eliminated at least half of them."

"How many?" Harry asked curiously.

"You don't even want to know."

"That many, huh?" Harry snickered. "Where'd Bidgie come from?"

"It's short for Bridgette. Bridgette Collier." She paused, like she was waiting for something.

"Hey, Gav!" Meyer waved to the distant figure ahead of them.

Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah, Bridgette, Bidgie, I can see that."

She laughed again. "Go ahead and call me Bidgie."

"And call me Jamie."

"Crap." Johnathan looked around. "Did you two sign out for the visit? You came out the side door."

"Yes. Bidgie needed to drop something off to a classroom after we signed out, so we just used the side door instead of backtracking."

"Good."

"Gav!" Meyer waved again.

The figure in the distance finally looked up. After a second, he unfolded his lanky frame from his crouch, lifting his own hand to make an encompassing gesture that managed to convey that he was more than ready and had, in fact, been waiting for them for quite a while. That was followed by another gesture that just as clearly said, furthermore, they were the ones that would have to catch up with him, so there was no need to get so worked up. He crossed his arms and crouched down again.

"That was pretty damn impressive," Harry said. "I've never seen so much meaning in two movements."

"Yeah, he's good at that." Meyer settled his hand on Bridgette's back, rubbing slightly, before resting it familiarly on her waist.

Harry skipped forward a step to join the group properly, sliding in between Johnathan and RaineStorm. "What kind of test do you have?"

"It's in Advanced Defense Two." He sighed heavily. "It's an overall assessment of our last set of skills, but there's a lot of emphasis on shields, especially Cast-Through Shields."

"Good shield. And versatile. Just wait until you get to the variations."

Johnathan groaned.

"What's a Cast-Through Shield?" Bridgette asked, glancing back.

"It's a shield they teach you for the sole purpose of dropping your grade in the class," Johnathan muttered. "Oh, and giving you gray hairs."

"Pish tosh." Harry waved a dismissive hand. "Cast-Throughs are strong, sturdy shields designed to absorb or reflect spells while still allowing you to cast your own spells through it without weakening the overall structure of the shield. It's not that bad."

Johnathan looked unmoved.

"Glad I went the easy Defense route," Bridgette said with a laugh.

"As am I," RaineStorm agreed.

Harry glanced away from Johnathan and further up to look at RaineStorm. "I'm completely surrounded by giants."

"It's because you're twelve," Johnathan laughed. "Don't worry; puberty will visit you one day."

"I'm not worried," Harry said dryly. "It's already visiting. My voice starts to break when I get excited."

Bridgette grinned. "That's so cute!"

Johnathan and Meyer exchanged commiserating looks.

"I really am the youngest one here, aren't I?" Harry asked. "Physically, at least," he added with a snicker.

"I think I'm being insulted," Meyer said. "Again."

"I know you're being insulted," Bridgette said, glancing back at Harry with a grin. "I like him."

"Gav's fourteen," Johnathan said with a shrug. "So he's only two years older. But honestly, how much older are the rest of us? We're only sixteen."

"Seventeen," Bridgette put in. "I'm seventeen."

"Right, we're all sixteen, except Bidge, who's seventeen, and therefore more amazing than us," Meyer said.

"You look… strangely familiar," Harry said after a moment of studying Bridgette. "More than just seeing you around school, I mean."

"Ah." She laughed. "Not a big fan of magical pop music?"

"I like it well enough," Harry said with a shrug. "But I lean a bit more towards rock and country."

She laughed again, glancing back at him. "I was invited to perform at your birthday party. Bridgette C."

Harry stared at her. "You were…. Oh! Oh. You're… right." He nodded slowly. "Bridgette C. Pop music super star. And now I feel kind of stupid, and sort of embarrassed."

"My agent was told you were a fan of my music."

"Oh. Well. No." Harry shook his head. "No. I have to be honest; I just told my family that I didn't want any old people music. I mean, I've heard your music, and I even have one of your albums, but it's not exactly…"

"Yeah, I thought it was a little odd," Bridgette said with a giggle, moving to walk more to the side. "I probably would have come, just for being there, but we had a family gathering that weekend."

"Honestly, I didn't even know a third of the people who performed, if not more, and I was only able to meet a handful of them."

"I guessed as much."

"At my birthday party, I did have a lot of old people music," Johnathan said, sighing a little. "And I did a lot of smiling and nodding when the guests talked about how much they liked it."

"Kind of sucks."

"I didn't get invited to your party," Meyer said to Harry, pretending to look hurt. "I'm famous, too."

"You toss exploding balls around at ridiculous heights while straddling a long wooden rod," Bridgette said dryly. "What, precisely, would you have done to entertain them?"

"It sounds so dirty and absurd when you put it that way," Meyer muttered.

"I think it would have been pretty Ozzin'," Harry put in. "But I have no idea how you could have managed that on a stage. And being completely realistic, think about balls exploding in mid-air without warning in an enclosed space filled with active duty Aurors…"

Johnathan winced. "Messy."

"Never mind," Meyer said. "It's totally cool my invitation was lost in the mail."

"I suppose I should just get the ugly truth out of the way now and not have it hanging over our heads," Harry said, trying not to grin at Meyer. "I'm not a big fan of Quodpot. I don't think I've ever seen a game you were in."

"But I play on the All-American team for the International Quodpot League," Meyer protested. "I'm Aaron Meyer Wendon. Win-It-All Wendon. I'm a professional Quodpot superstar."

"Not my thing."

Meyer laughed. "But hey, at least you actually know who I am. And don't call me Aaron. Only my fans and the press call me that."

"And your great grandmother Edna," RaineStorm added.

"Yeah, but- she's ridiculous. There're six Aarons in my family and she insists on calling us all Aaron. The name is like a disease we just can't seem to cure."

"So I should totally call you Aaron?" Harry asked.

"No, I go by…" Meyer fixed him with a narrow eyed look.

"I bet you'll never guess who I am," Johnathan put in with a grin.

Harry looked over at him and gave a start. "Holy crap! Where did you come from? Who are you? Why aren't you wearing pants?"

Johnathan glanced down in confusion. "But I- oh." He laughed. "I'm going to have to stay on my toes around you."

Harry grinned. "Sir, you're going to have to stay on your fingers around me."

"I have no idea what that even means, and I have to agree," Meyer said.

"So," Harry turned to RaineStorm, "should I feel stupid for not recognizing you at all?"

"Merlin, I should hope you don't recognize me. I'm the heir of the Waiye family, the founders and owners of Waiye Technologies-"

"The largest magi-tech company in North America," Harry put in. "I know the company. You have a contract with the USAS. My laptop is from Waiye Technologies. It's a good laptop."

Her brows went up slightly. "You have good taste. And odd information. Most people don't really pay attention to what companies have contracts where."

"You learn weird things when you wander the USAS when you're bored," Harry said with a shrug. "And Suntree bought my laptop, so Sun has good taste."

"Hey, Gav!" Johnathan waved.

The lanky boy stood up again, pushing his glasses higher up on his nose. "It took you long enough."

"We were introducing ourselves. Anyway, Jamie, this is Gavin Rite."

Gavin thrust his hand out and gave Harry's a brisk shake. "I'm here on scholarship." He peered down at Harry from behind his glasses, curly brown hair falling into his eyes. "Full scholarship."

"And I sing rock songs in the shower. Nice to meet you."

"How is that relevant?" Gavin asked, pushing his hair back impatiently.

"I thought maybe it was 'share completely unnecessary information when you meet someone' day. I was contributing. How was yours relevant?"

"It saves time," Gavin told him matter-of-factly, joining them on the path into town. "At a school like Hathorne, there are always people who look down on scholarship students. If you know that before you get to know me, I know I won't have wasted my time getting to know you."

"Oh. Yeah, I don't care."

"I had expected you'd find it only moderately interesting, if that. But then, no one knows very much about you."

"Well, I like long walks on the beach and rainy afternoons and-"

"Gav likes frogs," Bridgette said with a laugh. "And toads."

"What kind of pizza do you like?" Gavin asked Harry.

"I'll eat just about anything, but mushroom and spinach is my favorite."

"I find that acceptable."

"We're still getting pepperoni five cheese, thanks," Meyer told them. "You weirdoes can have fun with that spinach."

"And we're getting a pineapple ham," Bridgette said firmly.

Meyer shuddered. "Fruit on pizza is just… unnatural."

"You just have no taste."

"I have plenty of taste, thanks, and I think it's an abomination unto pizza, too," Johnathan put in.

"You're in the minority."

"By one," Johnathan protested. "Three against two is not a huge majority."

Bridgette looked at Harry. "Opinion?"

"It's not a huge majority," Harry agreed with a bit of a shrug.

"No. What's your opinion on ham and pineapple?"

"Oh, sure, I'll eat just about anything. Just no pineapple and anchovies. I'm not touching that."

Bridgette made a face. "That's disgusting."

"Oh, it really is," Harry agreed. "It really, really is."

"Four to two, the majority continues to hold," Bridgette said brightly. She nudged Meyer. "And I win, so you owe me ice cream after pizza."

Meyer squeezed her waist lightly. "I always buy you ice cream afterward, sweetheart."

Gavin fell in step with Harry, peering at him intently.

Harry glanced over. "Yo?"

"Do you like toads?"

"Uh…" Harry kicked a stone down the road. "Honestly, I've never really given toads much thought."

"You should. And frogs, too. They're fascinating creatures. Toads have a Bidder's organ, did you know? In male toads, it develops into an ovary if the testes are damaged, making them fully functioning female toads."

"Wow. I had no idea."

"I don't know if I really needed one," Bridgette muttered.

"I'll lend you a book," Gavin told Harry.

"Thanks?"

RaineStorm leaned in towards Harry, shifting Quaae from her shoulder into her arms. "He'll talk your ear off about toads if you let him."

"It is quite impossible to talk someone's ear off," Gavin stated. "Sound waves simply cannot remove an ear under any normal circumstance, let alone within the range humans are capable of producing."

RaineStorm groaned. "Come on, Gavvy…"

Johnathan settled an arm over Harry's shoulders, speeding them up until they were walking several steps in front of Gavin and RaineStorm, who were now debating the illogical nature and point of using idioms. "They can bicker like that for hours if you let them," he chuckled. "About nearly anything."

Harry laughed. "Sounds fun."

Johnathan grinned, dropping his arm from Harry's shoulders to nudge him a little. "They're not half as interesting as you, though."

"What? Me?" Harry glanced over, brows raised. "What did I do?"

"I've heard some pretty interesting stories about you and one of the jerks that go to school here and Quidditch camp."

"Ohh, Ambrose. Yes, I'm familiar with him."

"Familiar?" Johnathan laughed. "I heard that you embarrassed the hell out of Carrick and his friends."

RaineStorm and Gavin quickened their steps to catch up. "Carrick?" she asked. "Did someone mention Carrick?"

"I was just asking Jamie about it, yeah."

"Did you really dump his breakfast tray on him?" Bridgette asked, falling back to walk a little more in line with them, pulling Meyer with her. "And turn his hair pink?"

"I heard that Carrick and his friends were mocking your normal choice of clothing and you turned their robes into dresses one afternoon," Meyer put in with a laugh. "I wish there were pictures."

"Any other wild rumors you've heard?" Harry asked a little dryly.

"Actually-"

"I don't think I want to know, on second thought."

"I must admit, he's been almost tolerable this year," Gavin said thoughtfully. "And everything I've heard, possible exaggerations aside, points to you as being involved in the change in some capacity."

"He uses words like that all the time," Meyer said, shaking his head. "In the most casual conversations."

"Yes, I do."

"So, breakfast trays and pink hair and dresses and-"

"Whoa," Harry interrupted with a laugh. "We had some… encounters, but it's not as ugly as it sounds."

"'Encounters' is a loaded word," RaineStorm said.

Johnathan shook his head. "I heard the dress thing from at least four people. That happened."

"Sure, it definitely happened," Harry agreed. "But it wasn't me. Not technically. I'll admit that my constantly refusing to step aside and let them be kings of the camp probably motivated some of the others to stand up for themselves, but the actual act had nothing to do with me."

"What about the breakfast tray?" Bridgette asked. "Please tell me the breakfast tray really happened. I've had this image of him and his friends with egg in their hair and oatmeal dripping down their shirts ever since I heard it. Please tell me it happened."

"Nope, sorry. I didn't in any way cover them in any kind of food."

"Pink hair?" Meyer demanded. "I know that happened. I know for a fact that the camp administration spoke to you more than once about it, even though you never seemed to get in trouble for it."

"For a fact, huh? An actual fact?"

"Terrence mentioned it to me," Johnathan said with a smug smile. "Of course I mentioned it to my friends. I don't imagine Terrence would lie to me."

"Of course Terrence mentioned it." Harry rolled his eyes. "The next time I see him I need to kick him in the shins or curse him or something."

Johnathan's mouth opened in surprise. "You really do have a different relationship with your bodyguards."

Harry shrugged a little. "Well, Terry's not really my bodyguard. I mean, I totally concede I'd still smack him even if he was, but only two of my Pottery Defenders are actually assigned to me as bodyguards. The rest of the PDs just pretend to be my bodyguards so they have an excuse to be in my shining, illustrious presence."

"Illustrious?" Meyer asked. "Really? Illustrious?"

"Technically, you could say that he is, in some people's eyes, deservedly famous and notably outstanding because of achievements or actions on his part," Gavin said. "Admittedly, the details of the aforementioned achievement are rather unclear beyond the most apparent result…"

"Gav, seriously, no one uses words like aforementioned in actual conversation," Meyer said with a groan.

"I just did."

"You don't count!"

"The pink hair," RaineStorm prompted. "I bet that's a great story. I bet that's a fantastic story. You should tell us that story."

Harry frowned slightly. "That's a little more prurient interest than I expected. Why are you so damned intent on hearing about the pink hair?"

"Because my family actually is obscenely rich and well-connected and his family is barely rich and connected, but he still acts like he's Merlin's gift to the world when he most clearly isn't."

Harry's brows went up. "Whoa?"

Everyone else stopped walking to stare. Gavin gave a little cough.

RaineStorm glanced around the group then looked down. "So... in the interest of full disclosure, Carrick and I used to be friends..."

"RaineStorm's a recovering snob," Johnathan said a little dryly. "Sometimes she has a relapse of spoiled brat."

"Oh." Harry took a moment to think about that.

"To be fair," Meyer said into the silence, beginning to walk again, "none of us really like him. I'm sure we all find the idea of him being embarrassed a bit satisfying."

"None of us like him at all," Gavin corrected. "At all."

"Is he really that bad? I know you've obviously had more experience with him, considering the bulk of my experience is a single week at Quidditch camp and a handful of momentary glimpses of him around school until he notices me and disappears, but... I actually kind of like him. It's his friends that are utter crap."

"Oh, he's quite horrible enough on his own when he takes it into his mind to be," RaineStorm muttered.

Gavin scowled. "He thinks scholarship students are undeserving of Hathorne's full range of resources." He took his glasses off and held them up to the light to inspect them. "As if the inclusion of those who know the true value of hard work and were expected to compete for both the money to attend and a place at the school will somehow diminish the school's quality." He put his glasses back on. "Faulty traditionalist logic."

"And you turned his hair pink." RaineStorm smiled, looking satisfied. "I'm sure it was infuriating. I'm sure it was perfect."

Harry laughed. "To be entirely fair, I didn't do it to them. They did it to themselves. No, really, they did. You know about magical auras, right? It's the-"

"Personal magic that radiates out from and surrounds one's body, but remains an active and connected part of one's magic," Gavin cut in, nodding. "Because of its unique dual nature of being both outside of the majority of magic and yet still a part of the whole, it allows one to set up shields, body wards, and defenses that extend beyond the body anywhere between two inches to three feet that are always actively safeguarding and passively being maintained. They are, however, limited in what they can do, and as far as shields go they are relatively weak. It's basic, common knowledge."

"For some people, maybe," Meyer muttered.

"We have to learn some of the aura shielding in L5 Defense," RaineStorm said. "They're incredibly complicated. I'm next to hopeless with them. Not that defense is my strength by any means."

Johnathan nodded slowly, stepping up from the path onto the sidewalk that ran in front of the first row of student-oriented stores. He picked up a discarded cup and tossed it into a nearby trash can. "It was part of the physical defense lessons I learned when I was younger, with all of the other presidential family defense strategies. From what I recall, though, all anchored spells are passive, and changing someone's hair color isn't a passive spell."

"You're right," Harry agreed brightly, peering curiously through the window of a small food store as they passed. "I have detection and alert shield spells active, and I've been trained to respond on reflex if a certain kind of alert ripples through my magic-"

"Alerts don't ripple," Gavin said firmly. "Alerts are connected to trigger spells that create a physical sensation to draw attention to the direction of an incoming spell-"

"Easy there." Harry held up his hands.

"Gav believes that when you talk about magic, you should take care to be as literal as possible," Meyer said wearily. "He'll interrupt you all the time."

"Yes, I will. When you use lax language while expressing concepts related to magic, it will inevitably lead to lax magical discipline."

"Just humor him. It's easier than arguing."

"Or argue," RaineStorm said with a grin, letting Quaae down to scamper off ahead of them as they came to the end of the block and turned down one of the connecting streets leading further into town. "It's easier than being literal. Lax thinking leads to lax magic, not lax language."

Harry couldn't stop himself from giggling. "You really want me to be literal about magic?"

Gavin eyed him suspiciously. "Yes."

Harry didn't try very hard to stifle another giggle. "All right. Remember you asked for it. As I was saying, I've been taught to respond in specific ways if a certain kind of alert ripples through my magic – yes, ripples through my magic. As a Magurist, my interaction with magic is wholly unique from other forms of force-spell magic casting and, to varying degrees, unique from other forms of Magurist casting. So I perceive the alert as a ripple that goes through my magic."

Gavin continued to eye him suspiciously before he nodded slowly. "Continue."

"If it's dangerous in any way, I snap real shields into place and I fire out a tracker to find the spell's origin. If it's not dangerous, I snap up much weaker shields and fire out a return spell of my own, usually something embarrassing or inconvenient."

Johnathan grinned slowly. "Ohh..."

"That's why I didn't get into trouble. It was Monty that cast the actual spell – something to give me terrible gas, or along the same vein, as near as I could tell from the taste – no, don't even try to work that one out," Harry added as Gavin opened his mouth. "Trust me, that's as literal as you're going to get."

Gavin harrumphed.

"If it wasn't Carrick that cast the spell, how'd you turn his hair pink?" RaineStorm asked with a puzzled frown. "Did you miss?"

"I never miss."

Bridgette fixed him with an 'it's hardly necessary to exaggerate' look. "Come on, everyone misses."

"If someone dodges, sure. But I never miss a stationary object."

"Everyone's aim is off sometimes," Bridgette argued. "No matter how good you are."

"Mine isn't."

Bridgette opened her mouth, looking fully ready to counter, but Johnathan shook his head slightly and she subsided.

"So what happened?" Meyer asked.

"They were practically in each other's lap." Harry rolled his eyes. "They were hiding behind a directional sign, almost on top of each other, huddled together. The way I track and return spells is through..." Harry trailed off as he tried to figure out how to explain without giving too much away.

"Classified?" Meyer asked dryly. "We get that from him," he jerked his thumb at Johnathan, "all the time."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Johnathan laughed.

"No, not so much classified as... complicated. My spell picks up the fading traces of the caster's magic and traces it back to the magical aura it belongs to. The problem is that the magical aura isn't self-contained. When you're pressed against another person, your auras are overlapping and mixing together at the edges. When I sent my spell back, it was powerful enough to hit Monty square on and then spill over onto the other two. Ambrose and Benny walked away with a nice solid shade of pink, but Monty's hair was practically glowing." Harry grinned. "I made sure to lock the spell nice and tight, too. The camp administration couldn't figure out how to unlock it to cast the counter spell."

"Really?" Gavin asked doubtfully. "No one there could unlock it?"

Harry shook his head. "It's not that my spell was just that super amazing or anything. There just wasn't a powerful enough Magurist on hand to untie all of the magical knots I'd put into the spell. Yes, I do mean that literally."

RaineStorm studied him intently.

"Let's catch the train," Johnathan said as they rounded a corner and moved towards a group of covered benches. The street signs changed from student blue to town green.

Harry paused in surprise for a moment then skipped ahead a few steps to catch up with Johnathan.

"All right," Meyer said, cutting in before Harry could say something, "I understand you not getting in trouble for the initial spell, but I have a lot of trouble believing they'd just let you get away with refusing to take it off without getting kicked out of camp or someone threatening legal action or something. As annoying as Carrick and his friends are, their parents are still really rich and really influential with the right kind of people. Especially Carrick's friends. That's why they can get away with being such colossal jerks to begin with."

"Oh, come on, Meyer," RaineStorm laughed. "Harry Potter? Really? The spell was cast in retaliation, even defense, and it wasn't even harmful. Unlike their spell. If Harry Potter wants to throw his weight around-"

"Can I put a word in?" Harry interrupted. "Because I didn't actually refuse to take it off. I tweaked the spell so it would break if they apologized and even half meant it. They muttered their apologies, nothing happened, and it was out of my hands at that point. At least until the end of the week. I didn't actually have to be present for their expressed remorse to trigger the reversal spell, but there really wasn't much point in keeping it in place after we left camp. It'd only have taken a week or two for their parents to find someone capable of untwisting my spell."

"Hah." Meyer grinned, settling next to Bridgette on one of the benches and stretching his legs out. "I bet that was great, the three of them with pink hair. It almost makes me wish I played Quidditch. Almost."

Harry snorted. "For the record, Ambrose apologized the next day and his hair changed back."

"That seems unlike him," Johnathan remarked, looking a little startled as RaineStorm picked Quaae up and then handed Quaae over to him. The monkey promptly started tugging on his tie.

"Admitting to having been in error in some way? Very unlike," Gavin agreed, leaning against one of the overhang's support columns.

"Maybe you don't know him as well as you think."

"I know him as well as I need," RaineStorm said with a snort, shaking out her hair to untangle her braids, beads clacking.

Johnathan made a flailing gesture in RaineStorm's direction. "Raine... Monkey... Choking me..."

"He just doesn't like your tie."

"I know the feeling," Harry murmured, eyeing the simple black and blue striped tie.

Johnathan pried Quaae off of his tie and thrust him out towards Bridgette as he sprawled on the bench next to her, loosening his tie. After a moment he pulled it off entirely and shoved it into his pocket, looking almost sheepish.

"Did you say train?" Harry asked him, turning to stare at the narrow paved road. "I don't see any tracks. Is it like a bus?"

"It's more like a tram than a train, but everyone calls it a train, even the locals."

"Have you seriously never even visited town even once during your placement testing and when you came to do a walkthrough of the school or anything?" Meyer asked, sitting up with interest. Quaae chittered at him unhappily as his movement jostled Bridgette and the bracelets he was studiously trying to remove from her arm.

Harry shrugged. "My first visit to Hathorne, I Portkeyed in to the blue street Student Drop and we walked to the nearest connecting streets and into the town itself, but we didn't get in much further than a street or two. I don't recall seeing a tram or tracks or anything then. After that, I always went directly to the school by Floo. More secure."

"Well, the town has a tram," Johnathan said. "They'll tell you that there're only twenty streets or something in town, but that's major streets. Hathorne Town is full of unnamed side streets and alleys and single streets that loop and twist and turn and properly ought to be two or three streets. You definitely have to bring your map when you visit until you get used to it."

"I noticed that when they gave me a map yesterday," Harry agreed.

"The tram helps. There are actually two tram lines. The city line only comes as far as the last green street before you reach the student blues, but it crisscrosses through town, hitting all of the major centers of activity like the post office and the mall. The other line hits the major professional areas, loops around the outskirts of town, runs through the biggest neighborhoods and over to the edge of the forest where you'll find the really expensive homes."

"They run about every ten minutes," Bridgette added, pulling one of her bracelets out of Quaae's hands and handing him back to RaineStorm. "It's really useful when you're running late or you're wearing heels or something like that."

Harry turned to grin at her. "Good thing I learned about this before I tramped all over town in my heels. Man, you've saved me a lot of aching feet."

"Yeah, me, too," Meyer said with a grin of his own. "I hate when I have to walk all over town in heels."

"You couldn't walk ten feet in heels if your life depended on it," Bridgette snorted.

"I beg to differ," Harry said. "In fact, I outright differ, no begging needed. Especially if my life depended on it. There's not a lot I couldn't do if my life depended on it."

"I believe it." Johnathan stood up to check the bus schedule.

"So where's the track?" Harry asked, turning to the road again.

"Under the road," Gavin answered, straightening up a little with an intent look. "It's a polarized magic rune system-"

"It works like a magnet pulling another magnet across a table," Meyer interrupted. "But, you know, more magical."

Gavin fixed him with an annoyed look.

"Come on, Gav," Meyer groaned. "Pizza Wednesday is a little light for a lecture on magic influenced physics and all of that."

"I'd love to borrow a book on that," Harry told Gavin with a grin.

Gavin gave him a little smile. It made him look more boyish. "I'll lend you one."

"Or three," RaineStorm teased.

Harry moved to the edge of the street and chanced easing his shields down enough to study the magic laid out on the road. It felt and looked extra bright and tingled against his own magic, but not so much so that he wasn't able to study the two buzzing solid lines of magic rooted beneath the street, shifting between green and yellow and shooting off little sparks like a broken power line in a cartoon. "Now that's interesting..."

"What's interesting?" RaineStorm asked from directly behind him.

Harry gave a start and turned, then took a half step back at her aura. It was stable, but constantly in motion, flowing and moving and shifting in cascades of color that blended and twisted and ribboned around each other. Harry couldn't even begin to make out what any of it meant, and the uneasy feeling he'd been getting lately when he tried to look past the most superficial layer of an aura without permission flared. He tightened his shields.

"Jamie?" RaineStorm asked slowly, concerned.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing." He ran his hands through his hair, pulling out the tie and shaking it free from the short ponytail. "Where are we getting pizza? There were, like, three pizza places I spotted just on the way here."

"We're going to A Pizza Place," Johnathan answered. "That's actually the name," he added quickly at Harry's thoroughly unimpressed look. "It's called A Pizza Place."

Gavin rolled his eyes. "My, aren't they clever."

"The pizza is more than worth it." Johnathan stood up, nudging Bridgette to get her attention, nodding to the approaching vehicle.

It looked like a long trolley car floating just off of the ground, painted with a tropical underwater scene. "That's pretty cool."

"The town holds a contest every year for a new design and it's painted over the summer. I really like this one. Last year..." Johnathan shrugged. "It was really abstract. It's not exactly my style."

The trolley slid to a stop in front of them and several people got off, mostly students. Harry was distracted for a moment by the buzz of magic radiating from the front and back of the bus, warm and solid like invisible barriers and just strong enough to break through his shielding. He tightened his shields a little more to dull it to the vaguest awareness. He moved in behind Johnathan, ignoring the startled glance and stare of the last person getting off as they noticed him.

"Hey, Johnathan." Harry settled next to him. "How long have you guys been working on Cast-Throughs?"

"About a week and a half."

"And no one's been able to help you?"

"I've worked with a few people in class and met with my teacher. I've also talked to someone in Student Learning and worked with a couple of people there. I'm just having trouble with it for some reason." He shrugged.

"And your bodyguards haven't been able to help? That sort of spell is a specialty of theirs."

Johnathan frowned and then got a very odd look on his face. "I... never actually... thought to ask one of them. It's never occurred to me. Damn." He slumped back in his seat, long legs stretching out in front of him. "Wish you'd said that yesterday or something, when I could have asked."

Harry laughed. "I'll see if I can help you after lunch, if you like."

"Think you'll be able to help?"

"I'm actually pretty good with them." Harry grinned. "I helped Terry tweak his over the summer."

"I'm coming to you the next time I have a problem in Defense."

"You know where I am."

"Hey." RaineStorm slid down the seat to sit closer to them. "What else happened at Quidditch Camp?"

"I ate a really good omelet. I mean, absolutely spectacular. There was goat cheese in it, crab, mushrooms, freshly picked herbs. Now it's your turn to tell a story."

RaineStorm looked a little startled then laughed.

"Or better yet, why aren't you wearing shoes?"

She looked down at her bare feet and wiggled her toes. She looked down at Harry's dress boots. "Why are you?"

"You're right. Why _am_ I?" Harry pulled his leg up on the seat and started to take off his boot.

"I have a story about frogs," Gavin told them.

Everyone groaned. Harry couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, sure."

"I know where you can get an amazing omelet in town," Bridgette interrupted a little desperately. "And I know where you can get the absolute best eggs and bacon you'll ever have."

"Amazing apple pie," Meyer put in. "There's a small little restaurant that has the most amazing apple pie. They use three to five different kinds of apple, whatever they have on hand each day, and it has this kind of sweet crumbly crust and it comes with a scoop of slightly cinnamony ice cream."

"There's also-"

"Clearly no one is interested in frogs," Gavin interrupted. "There's no need to continue with this charade."

Harry pulled off his other boot and wriggled his toes in his socks.

"Purple socks," Meyer snickered. "Out of clean laundry?"

"Are you kidding? I love these socks!" He pulled up the leg of his pants to show the rest of them. "And there are bumblebees on them! What's not to love about these socks?"

Meyer stared at him for a moment. Johnathan coughed on a snicker. Meyer finally shrugged and turned his attention to untangling a thread on his shirt from one of Bridgette's bracelets. "If you'd take better care of your shirts," she was muttering.

"I like your style," RaineStorm said. "Even if you're sadly bereft of a top hat."

"I like yours, too," Harry grinned, pulling off his socks and tucking them into his boots.

* * *

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* * *

Harry glanced into the third floor dorm lounge, checking to see if his preferred phone call spot was open before coming into the room properly. He half waved to a small group in front of one of the televisions as he made his way to the very back corner where three phones were arranged on small tables beside armchairs. He settled into the furthest armchair, lightly kicking off his slippers and wriggling a little to pull his Hathorne ID from his back pocket. It only took a moment to flick his fingers upward, putting up a silencing and privacy ward around his area, and then he picked up the receiver and slid his ID card through the phone reader to reach an outside line. He punched in the number. The phone rang only once before it was answered.

"A bit late, isn't it?"

"It's barely ten, Sunny." Harry shifted and resettled to sit mostly sideways, digging his feet into the cushions. "I bet you're drinking a glass of carrot juice as you read through some trashy tabloids or something."

"Carrot juice, yes. Tabloid, no."

"Finished them, have you?"

"Yes. It amuses me to see that some strange things can be found equally on both sides of the magical divide."

"More Elvis sightings?" Harry asked with a grin. "It's so completely ridiculous. The aliens abducted Elvis because he knew entirely too much about the purple balloons."

"Well, that _had_ been classified," Suntree sighed.

"Oi, I'm no greenie. I put up the super-duper Elvis and Easter Bunny level classified wards before I even made the call. So there."

Suntree chuckled. "Seeing as how I have you on the phone, your mother wanted me to send you a note tomorrow asking about-"

"It wasn't me," Harry put in quickly. "It was Al."

"Are you sure?"

"Definitely Al."

Suntree made a thoughtful noise.

"Unless it was a good thing, and then that was entirely and only me. But everything else is Al's fault."

"Your mother wants to know when you'll visit again."

"Oh, right. Hey, I was just there last weekend." Harry twirled the phone cord around his finger, digging his socked toes further into the cushions. "I've got a Quidditch game this weekend. My first one. She could come see that, you know."

"Child, you know that your mother would spend more time watching the palms of her hands than watching you fly."

"It'd still be kind of cool if she'd come. It's my first game. I mean, seriously, my first game! And besides, flying on a broom is way safer than driving a car."

"Strangely, for some reason that doesn't reassure her. But I'll be sure she knows you'd like her to come." There was a quiet glass on glass clink from somewhere near the phone. "Your mother said I should remind you that you're only required to stay at Hathorne three nights a week. With that dutifully said, we both know that you're aware of that and you're simply enjoying yourself, so I'll tell her in a few days that I contacted you and you're still settling in."

"Thanks," Harry said with a smile, pulling his feet out of the cushions and slouching to dangle them over the arm of the chair, looking out over the lounge room. "And I sort of am. Just not, you know, traditionally."

"Still adjusting to the magic?"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm pretty much great. The school has fantastical and awesome wards, so even though there's magic going on everywhere, it's all pretty well balanced and there's not much buildup. Sure, sometimes I walk through a light fog of magic or don't tighten my shields and brace myself enough when I enter a building and I feel a little overwhelmed for a few hours, extra sensitive, but it's not that bad. I just keep my awareness to a minimum when that happens. So it's really just a matter of adjusting to the different flavor."

"That's good, then."

"All that said, though, today I ran through a door without bracing myself at all and... Merlin fucking God. And don't you correct my language. This was... I stumbled out the other side of the door and the identification magic wrapped itself around me, clawed its way in through my pores, slickered and slurched and slurged-"

"How inventive."

"Hey, when you find real words to describe the feeling of magic walking its sticky, hungry fingers along the inside of your body and through your senses, tingling and tickling and shivering under your skin, slithering through your magic like it's picking your pockets and rubbing itself into your little corners and touching you in ways that are just completely wrong, you let me know what they are. When you know how to describe being cracked open and run through and left open and raw and vulnerable to the merest brush of outside magic, you let me know."

Suntree was silent for a moment. "Are you all right?"

Harry sucked in a breath and rubbed his eyes. His contacts needed to be replaced. "Yeah. It was just... intense. And really, really weird. I've walked in and out of buildings before without fully tightening my shields and without properly bracing myself, and while it's made me want to jump around and flail and rub my skin off to make the magic go away, today was... uncharacteristically unpleasant, to the extreme. I think I should talk to Healer Z."

"I'll check his schedule tomorrow and let you know what days he's available."

"Awesome. And actually, that's sort of related to why I called. Part of it, at least." Harry stretched and slouched, legs sliding further over the arm, then squeaked as a cat launched itself from the next chair over to bat at his feet.

"Child?"

"I was just attacked by a random cat..." Harry pulled his legs up to his chest and peered over the side of the chair. The cat had curled up on his slippers and looked like it was ready to take a nap. "And now it's appropriated my slippers."

Suntree chuckled. "You had a question?"

"Yeah, but hang on." Harry shifted to sit cross-legged, eyeing the cat as he dropped his wand into his hand for the tight control. He made a complicated twist and swirl and jab motion with it, discretely casting his spell. For a moment nothing happened, and then the cat was on its feet, hissing and spitting, ears laid back and fur standing on end. Harry pulled his legs back up to his chest with wide eyes and turned his body in towards the chair. "Well, at least we know you're not a spy, cat," he muttered to it.

"What did you just do?" Suntree asked with a hint of a sigh.

"Animagus reveal. The cat's kind of frizzy now."

"You overpowered the spell."

"Gee, you think?" Harry glanced over the side of the chair cautiously. The cat had settled on his slippers again to groom itself, looking none too happy. "I'm going to have to fight an epic battle when I want to reclaim those slippers."

"Be sure to send me the memory so I can record it for all of time. We can use it to teach our trainees."

"Hah."

"Your question?"

"Oh, right." Harry slipped his wand back into the holster. "I'm having a sort of problem, I think."

"You think?"

"I signed that healer contract and everything, for all of the confidentially stuff and not taking advantage stuff and all of that stuff-"

"Your eloquence is overwhelming."

"-and I'm totally cool with not being a terrible person and not poking at things I don't have permission to poke at, but I'm having a serious problem with that entire asking to study a person's aura thing."

"So, you're having a serious problem being polite?"

Harry snorted. "No. I'm having a serious problem with the fact that asking permission to read someone's aura is pretty much advertising to the world that I read auras. It didn't even occur to me when I signed the contract because, well, first of all it was in regards to healing, and I'm primarily healing Aurors and law enforcement, and there's an implied consent to reading auras in healing. Second, I didn't realize just how restrictive the reading without permission was going to be. I can't even take more than a glance at the surface without beginning to feel uneasy, and the longer I look, the more uneasy I feel. That's totally the contract keeping me in line, isn't it?"

Suntree made a thoughtful sound. "You didn't actually sign a tightly restrictive contract. If you were flagrantly overstepping yourself, there's certainly a clause in the contract for magic to keep you in check, subtly at first, like this, and then more forcibly as the action continued unabated. But I rather doubt you're delving into the depths of every aura you meet, and for the contract to be restricting you this much this soon, you'd have to be."

Harry smacked his forehead with a hand. "Great. Just... great. So, what's going on? What's wrong? Any idea? Because the way this is going right now, it's just not going to work for me, Sun. Good or bad, I've gotten used to scanning people. I mean, I haven't even been able to look at Geoffrey's aura for more than a couple of seconds. He's too good at picking up unease and fear."

"Vampires are quite well suited to that, yes," Suntree agreed.

"And I'm not afraid of him. I'm not. I certainly respect that he's pretty damned dangerous, but so am I when I need to be. Though..."

"Though?"

"It might be a good idea to have me work with a vampire at the USAS?" Harry glanced down at the cat. It hissed at him. "You guys have vampires, right?"

"Several, yes. And that does sound like a good idea. Vampires are generally very neutral in magical conflicts of the kind you're most likely to be impacted by, so they weren't considered a threat for your defensive training."

"My vampire is more of a nuisance than a threat, and only sometimes, but I still don't want to give him any ground."

"So, you haven't been able to study his aura? Is it necessary to you not giving any ground?"

"Uh..." Harry twirled the phone cord around his fingers. "No? Maybe? Probably? Better safe than sorry?" Harry sighed. "Come on, Sunny, you know he's not the issue. This is serious. What's going on?"

"I honestly..." Suntree trailed off into deep silence for a moment. "Actually, can you call me back in ten to fifteen minutes? I can't say much, but I might know someone who can answer this fairly swiftly."

"Absolutely. Ten to fifteen?"

"Give or take. I might chat for a few minutes. Pretend I'm polite."

Harry laughed. "All right. I'll call you back." He hung up slowly and glanced down at his slippers. The cat stared back at him with barely open eyes, sprawled out across one of his slippers and kneading the other. "Great. Thanks. With my luck, Geoffrey's going to be allergic to cat dander or something."

The cat yawned.

Harry looked back at the phone thoughtfully, and then pulled his ID out again to swipe and dial. The other line was answered promptly.

"United States Auror Service Headquarters. This is Temple Guardian; how may I help you this evening?"

"How many people think your name's a joke, Temple?"

"JP?"

"Yep."

She laughed. "Too many. But that's what happens when both of your parents are Aurors. What's up with you? I haven't heard from you in quite a while. What are you doing calling the public line and not the inter-department directory?"

"Honestly? I figured I'd have better luck getting the transfer with you. But the better question is: what's up with you? How's little Temple?"

"Walking poorly and biting very well. The real question is how big Temple's doing."

Harry grinned. "How's big Temple doing?"

"Happy to be back to work full time. I'm even happier now that my kid has stopped looking like a little goblin. Hey, I can admit that she came out looking like I'd had an affair with our banker," she said as Harry began to laugh. "But she's downright cute now that she looks human."

"Congratulations on her being human, then. How's the husband?"

"Dealing with a yeti problem somewhere at the moment. He calls every morning to make ridiculous noises at little Temple over the phone, which are all the more touching because I can hear his friends dying in the background."

Harry smiled faintly. "That's a great dad right there."

"Yeah, he is," Temple said fondly. "But that's not why you called. You said you were hoping you'd have better luck with me?"

"Yeah. I have a question about the wards at Hathorne. Not anything specific about them, just a question that someone familiar with Hathorne's security would be able to answer. If I go through the directory, I'll just be transferred to someone at the bottom of the decision chain and I'll be on the phone ten minutes getting transferred up the ladder to someone in a position to decide whether I can ask my question or not, let alone answer my question. Think you can transfer me over to someone who might be able to make that decision?"

Temple made a thoughtful noise.

"It's already pretty late on a school night," Harry pointed out. "I have to review a presentation for tomorrow. I have Quidditch practice tomorrow at five thirty. That's AM. And Suntree's expecting me to call him at a certain time tonight."

Temple laughed. "All right. I can transfer you over. It's not like there's anything going on tonight, anyway."

"You're the best. Give little Temple hugs from me."

"Rub peanut butter in your hair from her," Temple said with a snicker. "Hang on. It might take a minute or two for someone to pick up." There was a click and then the line went silent. After a moment the hold messages kicked in.

"If you're interested in volunteering with the United States Auror Service, there is a wide and varied range of programs sponsored and supported by the USAS. From USAS supported summer camps to youth programs to community safety and awareness groups to international relief and aid organizations, the USAS is active in your community today. If you want to join, ask to be transferred to Volunteering when you have completed your business today, or press one now to speak to someone while you wait."

Harry dug into his pocket for his chapstick as it clicked over to the next message.

"The United States Auror Service is ranked in the top ten percent of employers in Magical America with employment opportunities spanning multiple fields and disciplines. Being an Auror is only the most public face of the USAS. The USAS is a recognized leader in cutting edge research and development in all classical and experimental fields of magic, medicine and science. The USAS is on par with many of the top-ranked magical Universities in its devotion to scholarly research and education. Traditional and non-traditional resource procurement, management, and support make up a considerable portion of the USAS working force. The USAS offers its employees a full range of government resources and advancement while enjoying private employment pay and benefits. If you'd like more information about employment with the USAS – where employees are valued – ask to be transferred to Human Resources when you have completed your business today, or press two now to speak to someone while you wait."

"Note to self," Harry sighed, "the inter-department directory will babble really crazy ads at me while I'm waiting, but at least those are amusing."

"That they are," someone responded on the line.

Harry sat up straight. "Hi! I didn't realize someone had picked up!"

"I'm sure. How can I help you?"

"Where exactly have I been transferred?"

"Warding. You're speaking with First Supervisor Archimedes Carmichael."

"Oh! Yeah! Hey. It's Jamie."

"So I can tell," Archimedes chuckled. "I understand you have a question of some kind? One you might not have the clearance to know?"

"Yeah. Okay. I know that I'm not cleared and have no need to know any of the details about Hathorne's wards – which, by the way, are pretty damn sweet, from what I've been able to feel of them – but I have a question that's related to them. I'm assuming that the wards at the USAS are even more damned amazing than Hathorne's wards, and Hathorne's wards are pretty frickin' tight. So I'm wondering why Hathorne's building identification scans skulk around inside me with slimy little fingers, leaving trails of ugh and gah and urg across my aura, while the USAS wards are just a light tickle I don't even notice most of the time."

Archimedes was silent for several moments. "I'm sorry? What's going on?"

"Oh. I sense wards?" Harry said slowly.

"As I've heard, yes."

"Oh, good. I was worried for a second we were going to play the 'who's cleared to know what' game. There would have been something entirely too ironic for a Wednesday night in me not being able to find out if I'm cleared to know what I'm asking because you're not cleared to hear the question."

Archimedes chuckled. "Yes, I understand that you're capable of sensing wards."

"When I enter and exit buildings on campus, the identification wards that check to make sure I'm allowed to be here crawl all over me and inside me and run their nails over the chalkboard that is my soul-"

"Unpleasant."

"Basically, yes. But the USAS wards don't do that to me. I know I don't do any building entering or exiting there, but when you move through different levels of security, it's basically the same setup. And the stronger the wards, the more intense the scan gets, so I'm confused as to why I can walk around the USAS all day and not even notice the scans unless I'm fairly open, but at Hathorne they still make me twitch and wince even at my most braced and shielded."

"Ah. I honestly couldn't even begin to answer that question. But let me see if you'd be allowed to ask that question of someone else..." There was a period of computer keys clacking and Archimedes humming under his breath. "Unfortunately, while you do have the clearance to talk to someone about the general security setup at Hathorne, you have to submit an official request."

"Damn. All right. And I need to do that in person, right?"

"Yes."

"I suppose I can wait a few days."

"Though..." There was a little more clacking. "One of your PDs is involved in the annual security assessment, so he might be in a position to answer your question without all of the official hoopla."

"Most excellent! Which one?"

"Hmm... Might not be my place to say," he said cheerfully. "It shouldn't be too hard to figure out, though."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"So helpful."

"Considerably helpful, in fact," Archimedes agreed. "I didn't have to tell you that last bit, you know."

"Yeah, I know. And thanks. But I should probably go. I need to call Sunny back soon. Oh, wait. What's your extension?"

"Seven-two-nine-eight. Talk to you later."

"Bye." Harry hung up. After a moment, he picked up the entire phone, shifting in the chair to rest his back against the arm while looking out at the room, feet on the opposite arm. He settled the base on his stomach and picked up the handset again, sliding his ID through and dialing the most obvious number. It took almost six rings before the line was picked up.

"Marsen," he grunted. "And I'm not putting on fucking pants."

Harry pulled the phone away from his ear to stare at it in confusion, and then moved it back to his ear a little cautiously. "Why aren't you wearing pants?" he asked slowly.

There were a few grunts and some shifting. "Fuck. I am wearing pants."

"Al?"

"No offense, but what the fuck do you want? I just got off a hellish field assignment, I haven't slept in thirty hours, apparently I am wearing pants, I lost my soup, and I just managed to fall asleep. What? What is it?"

"You lost your soup?"

"Yes. You called?"

"Oh, yeah. I have a question about Hathorne's wards-"

"You what?"

"A question about Hathorne's wards, and since you're in warding-"

"Residential."

"What?"

"Residential. Residential warding. I ward houses. I ward houses and apartments and condos and villas and fucking bungalows and chateaus and even a goddamned houseboat once. I don't ward schools. I don't know shit about warding schools."

"Oh."

"Is that it?"

"Yes?"

"Good." Al hung up.

Harry stared at the phone for a moment, and then pressed his thumb down on the cradle. After a moment he swiped his ID again and dialed his next number carefully. It didn't even finish ringing when it was picked up.

"He's dead," Tony said impatiently. "I'm absolutely sure of it this time. Log it and leave me the hell alone."

"This time?"

"I..." Tony cleared his throat. "Jamie?"

"Yeah."

"Hang on. I have to clean something up." There was silence on the other line.

Harry pulled his watch out and flipped it open to show the time. He considered just hanging up and calling Suntree back and then doing homework. He hoped Tony wasn't cleaning up blood.

"I'm back. Bit late, isn't it?"

"He's dead this time?"

Tony was quiet a moment. "I thought you were someone else."

"Clearly. Doesn't your phone tell you who's calling?"

"It does. But he's been calling every fifteen seconds for the last three minutes. I stopped waiting for it to register. What's up?"

"No, really. He's dead this time?"

"Unless he's faking it again."

"Again?"

"It's a little classified. What's up?"

"Um. Yeah. Do you know anything about the Hathorne wards?"

Tony started to laugh. "When have I ever showed myself proficient enough in warding to understand those kinds of wards?"

"I... You're right. You're absolutely right. But I bet you know who is proficient enough."

"Actually, I'd have to check my files and those are in my office, and I'm headed to a bar at the moment."

"Is that a little bit classified, too?"

"Not unless getting drunk is classified now. Which it is, by the way, if your mother asks."

"I'm going to call someone more useful now."

"Hah. Good luck with that. Hey, we should get together for lunch next week or something. We haven't seen much of each other lately."

"Yeah, that sounds great. You're coming to my game this weekend, right?"

"Are you kidding? I requested every other weekend off for the entire year."

Harry grinned. "I'll talk to you then."

"Yep."

Harry put the phone back on the cradle and considered his options as he checked his watch. He could practically feel the sullen displeasure radiating off of it at being silenced most of the day. "Oh!" Harry swiped and dialed again, snickering a little as the phone was picked up after two rings but was fumbled about and dropped before a voice came on the line. There was a loud background noise, like he was in the middle of a crowd.

"Special Agent Macree speaking," Terry said with exaggerated care and enunciation. "How may I be of assistance to you today?"

"Terry?"

"Yes?" Terry sounded as confused as Harry felt. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I think there might be. Is this a bad time? It's not that important."

"No, it's- wait. Who-? Is this Jamie?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh! Oh, it's just Jamie." Terry sniggered. "I thought you were Johnathan, and I was like 'Oh my Merlin, why is _Johnathan_ calling me on my private line, I'm way down on his contact list,' but it makes so much more sense that it's you calling me from Hathorne. It was Hathorne calling on my phone, you know."

Harry began to giggle. "Are you drunk?"

"Drunk? Me? Never! Well, okay, maybe a little. But it's my night off and I have people over and I can't very well force them to drink alone, can I? It's physics."

"Is it really physics?"

"Or maybe philosophy. It probably starts with a P."

"Wow. All right. You're going to be completely useless to me."

"Aww, what a mean thing to say. You're growing up so fast!" There was a shout from the background. "It's just the kid," Terry called out, voice muffled. "No, I don't have a kid! It's the kid. Jamie. No, I said Jam- Harry Potter! No! Not a hairy painter! Why the hell would I be on the phone with a hairy painter? I said Harry Potter!" There was a crash and the sound of someone scrambling, grunts, and a muffled string of cursing. "No, no, no! You get your own Harry Potter!"

"I'm just going to let you go now."

"No! No, I'm totally here. You have question? I have an answer! Talk to me!"

Harry blew out a slow breath. "What's seven times seven?"

"That's not a question! That's math! Ask another one!"

Harry bit his lip on a giggle. "What's Johnathan's middle name?"

"Classified!"

"Seriously?"

"I'm too drunk to remember," Terry admitted.

"Yeah, you're going to be useless." Harry shook his head. "But what the hell. I have a very general question about Hathorne's wards versus the wards at the USAS."

"Ohh. Nope. I can tell you all about the physical sercur- securt- security in place at HI and the reaction times of the responding school officers and the HTPD and the HT on-site SS, but not the wards. Nope. Not wards. I put up wards, but those are big wards. Not the ones I put up. I put up baby wards. Hathorne's wards are big. Big, complicated wards. Nope, not me."

Harry rubbed his forehead. "That was both amazingly useless and unexpectedly useful at the same time. So there's no one who can tell me about the wards?"

"I don't know. Hey! You! Stop taking my beer hostage! I'm on the phone! I can't negotiation it right now."

"Yes, you can. I'm hanging up now."

"Call Green!"

Harry frowned. "What? Green? But he blows things up and shoots things."

"Call Green. He can't blow up and shoot dead things every day. It's a real situational needed job. So he's on the USAS security evaluating HI team thing. I bet he knows the wards outside and in and upside sideways."

"One, I'm stealing upside sideways. Two, thanks. That was actually really useful. Three, I'm hanging up now. Four, I love you."

"Four to you, too."

Harry hung up. "Whew..." He looked down at the cat. The cat yawned a yawn full of teeth at him. He ran his ID and dialed.

"Green."

"Oh thank Oz. You're normal."

"I don' know if I ought'a be insulted or if that was intended to be a compliment."

"And you're incredibly Southern tonight. I haven't heard that much drawl from you in months."

"Happens when I'm drinkin'."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Are you drunk?"

"Can't rightly say that I am, no. Still pretty early in the evenin'."

"So you intend- you know what, never mind. You're not drunk right now and that's all that matters. So-" Harry was interrupted by a loud cheer in the background. "What was that?"

"I do believe whoever we're supportin' this round just scored a goal touchdown basket."

Harry's eyes narrowed more. "You are drunk, aren't you?"

"Are you callin' me a liar?"

"Goal touchdown basket?"

"I was in the kitchen when you called and I don't rightly know what sport we're watchin' at the moment. I suppose it would behoove me to pay more attention, seein' as how we're drinkin' accordin' to predictions we're makin' and they'll bamboozle me from here to northern Tennessee if I ain't keepin' track. In any case, it could'a been a goal, could'a been a touchdown, might'a been a basket. All I can say with any justifiable authority is that someone's havin' a good night and someone's havin' a bad night."

Harry tapped his ID against his leg. "Riiight. I… Fine. I have a fairly general but specific question about Hathorne's security and Terry says you're the man to call."

"That I am," Green told him agreeably. "Keep yer britches on," he called out. "I'm on the phone." Someone shouted something back. "No, with yer wife! She says to fix the damn dishwasher or she'll turn ya into a dog! Yeah, that's right!" The background clamor suddenly ceased, like Green had closed a door. "I might maybe have an answer. What's yer question?"

Harry took a deep breath. "In the interest of full disclosure, if I ask this question and you suddenly get retarded, I'm going to crawl through this phone and curse you with something terrible and embarrassing."

"Am I allowed to be uninformed regardin' this answer you seek?" he asked slowly. "I ain't no expert on the security by any means, excusin' my double negative."

"Yeah. Sure. You're allowed to be uninformed."

"Then ask."

"When I walk through the building doors at Hathorne, the identification scanning magic crawls inside me and wriggles all around. But when I walk from one area of security to another at the USAS, I barely notice the brush of identification scan. Why are the stronger USAS wards not a problem? They feel fairly similar. The effect should be at least vaguely similar. Right?"

"Hang on." Green grunted and there was a glass on glass clink. "When you walk through doors at work, you don't feel nothin', but at school, it bites you in the ass. That's what you're saying?"

"Yeah."

"Well... It could maybe be..."

"Just say you don't know so I can get off the phone."

"I don't know the answer-"

"Thank you."

"-entirely, but-"

"Wait, what?"

"Right. Ya see, I do a fair bit with the general security, threat assessments and arrangin' mock breeches and all that, so what I do know is that Hathorne's wards have a lot of room for exceptions to the schema. Gotta key our people in special to keep track of 'em and all that. And I know that Hathorne's wards are colossally scaled down versions of the USAS wards, which I ain't never touched and ain't never gonna do. So reason being what it is, the USAS wards are a'brimmin' with exceptions to the general schema, too, and I'd be willin' to bet that Magurists are just keyed into the security framework in a different way from the get go, hence you've never experienced invasive identification scannin'."

Harry tapped his ID against the side of the phone. "Green?"

"Jamie?"

"You've been drinking since we started talking, yes? So, in theory, you've slowly been moving closer and closer to being drunk, or, as I suspect, achieving a higher level of drunkenness?"

There was a moment of silence, then a swish of liquid, a swallow, a clink. "Maaaybe."

"So, what I'm taking away from this is, the drunker you get, the more intelligent you get? How does that even work? No, seriously, how does that even work?"

"Yer askin' the drunk man?"

"Who's used more big words in this one drunk conversation than I think I've ever heard from you, outside of the technical babble you throw at me when you're talking about your field of expertise. Yes."

"Some things, Jamie, you gotta have chest hair to understand."

Jamie stared at his ID picture. His picture made a face at him. "I… You're right. I'm too young to understand this. And it's too late. And it's been entirely too Wednesday night. And I need to talk to someone about how exceptions work so the wards here stop molesting me."

"I don't see that happenin'. That there's some serious fiddlin' with stuff, ya know, and seein' as how the actions of the wards as they stand aren't puttin' you in imminent danger or affectin' your ability to function on a daily basis, yer probably just gonna have to deal with it. But hey, it's good practice for when you encounter intensive wardin' out in the rest of the world."

"I… Damn it. That makes sense. But I hate being molested so much."

"And I hate not bein' able to make things go boom more often for money, but I suck it up and make poisons instead. At least then I'm contributin' to the death count."

"I... have to call Sunny back. You're too drunk and I'm too sober for this conversation. I'll see you Saturday at my game."

"Go Mudcats!"

"And stop stealing my school spirit! I'm going to need that." As Harry hung up, he could hear Green shouting another "Go Mudcats!" Harry stared at the phone for a moment then checked his watch. It was well past time to call Suntree. As he dialed the number, he shifted his feet and kicked the arm of the chair until magic cooperated and expanded the chair beneath him so he could stretch out his legs. The arm of the chair bumped against the next table.

"Are you drunk?" Harry demanded a few seconds after he heard the phone pick up. "Because I'm not dealing with a drunk Suntree." Harry could feel the silence on the other line.

"Blistered beyond the moon."

"Funny. And that doesn't even make sense. So, did you get an answer?"

"You should pray. A lot."

Harry groaned. "You are drunk, aren't you?"

"I have it on good authority that praying is the best path to resolving most problems of a magical nature."

Harry twisted his pinky finger through the cord of the phone. "I… can't tell if you're having fun at me or if you're serious."

Suntree chuckled. "Both. If you had real belief to back it up, praying actually would present a possible solution, or at least considerable lessening of your problems. But seeing as you don't have the faith-"

"Where on earth would I have gotten the faith? What faith? You realize that makes absolutely no sense, right? I can't just pick that thing up at a store. It's not milk. I certainly have faith that magic is going to screw with me whenever it spots an available weakness-"

"Actually," Suntree laughed, "you're getting off pretty light as far as Magurist madness is concerned."

"That's not reassuring."

"However you want to take it, I have it on equally good authority that the problem you're having with your contract is magic most definitely being beastly because it can-"

"Terrific," Harry groaned.

"-and we can probably do something about that," Suntree finished. "I'm going to speak with a few people tomorrow morning about transferring the restrictive aspects of your healer contract into one of the contracts you've signed with the USAS. That ought to solve your problems, by and large. But to be on the safe side, I'm also going to see if I can have them adjusted to take into account that you're not always in a position to ask permission to look at auras. As I understand it, because the USAS contract is far more intricate in nature and personally very important to you and who you are, it's pretty likely that magic will stop having its merry way with you and simply restrict where restricting is actually warranted."

"And the healers will be cool with that?"

"I'd imagine so. The healer contract you're under is partially a USAS contract, anyway, since you work primarily with Aurors."

"Then that's super cool."

"Yes, I thought it was super cool as well. Almost super frigid, in fact."

Harry snorted.

"I also took the opportunity to ask about the extreme reaction you had today when you walked through the exterior door, and I believe I have a likely reason as to why it was that severe. You've been working on merging your magic with the magic around you, right?"

"As per instructions from the supertastic Healer Z, yeah. Though, not too much. It takes a lot of focus and peace and happy vibes, and life's a bit hectic around here."

"Then be warned that activity of that nature sensitizes you to penetrating magic like identification scans, so if you walk through a scan unprepared, it'll have a greater impact on you than it normally would."

"That's… good news? I mean, nothing's wrong, but… man, I foresee a hassle in my future."

"You're a Magurist."

"Yes. Yes, I am."

"As for the contract, if all goes well tomorrow, I'll send you a note by lunchtime. I presume you'd like me to arrange the signing of the altered contract for as soon as possible, so when will you be most available?"

"Any time this Friday after eleven will work for me."

"All right."

"I'll just meet you at the USAS."

"That'll work."

"Sounds like a plan, then. I like plans. They're deliciously plan-like."

"Why did you ask if I was drunk?"

"Because everyone else is! I decided to be proactive about the wards, because I was really confused that Hathorne's wards are vicious mean and the USAS wards are super awesome. So I called- lots of people, basically. And, okay, fine, Al wasn't drunk, he was exhausted – and he's mean when he's exhausted, which is news to me and good to know, but largely forgivable – and Tony's apparently – we're not going to talk about Tony, actually; I'm pretty sure I should disavow any knowledge of Tony tonight, in fact. But if I did happen to know one thing about Tony tonight, it's that he's on his way somewhere to get drunk. Then there was Terry, who was absolutely ridiculously drunk, and Green, who I'm pretty sure was drunk off of his ass and just really good at being coherent and freakishly somehow more intelligent-"

"Drunk Wednesday," Suntree interrupted. "You called everyone on Drunk Wednesday. Good job."

"I- On what?"

"On the Wednesday before the full moon, the USAS bars and clubs offer half off all drinks, or a fixed rate for all drinks, or a single bar fee that lets someone drink whatever they want, or whatever other special the management decides to try, and thus there's one Wednesday every month where a good portion of non-essential staff are relatively or completely useless."

"I totally agree on that last part. But what the hell is that all about?"

"First, you're no longer communicating Magurist driven duress, so watch your language. Second, think about the full moon and the impact it has on magical society."

Harry scratched his nose with his ID card. "Well… The full moon plays a part in all disciplines of magic. There are some things you can only do on the full moon, and some things that are strengthened by the full moon. There are things you can only plant or pick or whatever on the full moon. There's definitely a lot of restricted magic that requires the full moon in some way or another."

"Precisely so. In fact, the majority of permits to perform restricted magic are issued for the full moon and the days surrounding, and while that magic is generally completely legal and well thought out, sometimes things can go wrong. Beyond that, you also have illegal magical work that happens from pure foolishness, idiocy, and people not realizing that they're performing illegal magic. Magical law enforcement would have its hands full with just that, but then add in all of the illegal magical work that is knowingly performed, both for good and ill. Illegal activities actually triple on the full moon-"

"Seriously?" Harry sat up a little. "Did you say it triples?"

"Definitely. Mind you, it's not all full moon driven, or necessarily even the performing of magic at all. At least half of the illegal activity that occurs arises from the criminal element being very well aware of the full moon strain on law enforcement and merrily taking advantage of it. There's an increase in everything from petty theft to grand larceny. It's easier to get away with murder on the full moon – law enforcement just doesn't have the manpower to respond immediately and start tracing Apparition and Portkeys. There's-"

"Yeah, but that doesn't sound like Auror stuff," Harry cut in.

"Not in most cases," Suntree agreed. "But we're still law enforcement at the end of the day. In most cases, depending on the severity of the problem, two to five law enforcement officers or federal agents must respond to every alert or call received. That's standard procedure. When you have that much illegal activity occurring at once, even with all available officers in the field, it still puts a considerable strain on law enforcement resources. A USAS agent can take the place of two to three federal agents, which allows more federal agents to assist regional law enforcement, and regional law enforcement can then better assist local law enforcement."

"That part makes sense. Where does the getting drunk and useless come in?"

"Really?" Suntree asked dryly. "Think about the USAS agents you know. While we retrain to deal with civilian oriented problems every two years, it's not what we've signed up to do. In some ways, it's a bit harder than what we typically do. For some agents, it's what they worked very hard to escape-"

"Escape?"

"Perhaps a stronger word than I intended, though there is some truth to it. A large number of Aurors have to start out in another branch of law enforcement before they've gained enough experience to be considered by the USAS. The kind of person who wants to be an Auror often finds the other levels of law enforcement to be… monotonous, or restrictive. And, really, you've met Aurors. We're unusual. We can work with normal people, generally, but we're most comfortable with other unusual people."

"Ah."

"And aside from the fact that we're just not used to dealing with general law enforcement activity, we're also dealing with the kind of insanity that comes from the full moon. No one looks forward to the full moon madness. Getting drunk a few days before the full moon helps agents to unwind, release tension, relax, and have a good time, before they have to gear up for a fairly unpleasant night."

"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense. Get drunk and relax so you don't murder the civvies who know not what they wrought."

Suntree was quiet a moment, then he chuckled. "Quite right, Agent Potter."

Harry grinned. "But you've got a problem."

"What's that?"

"What happens when the full moon is on Wednesday?"

"Then everyone gets drunk on Screw it Monday, of course."

Harry grinned even more and wriggled his hand out of the phone cord, where it had somehow managed to get trapped up to the wrist. "I bet that's not what you guys really call it."

"You're right. We actually call it Banana Boat Monday."

Harry laughed. "Right. So, what happens if it's on a Tuesday? If it's on Monday, you have to knock back a gallon of potions to recover in time enough to deal with full moon madness, and you still don't feel that great, even if you're not drunk or hung over. Which, hey, seriously, that applies to Thursday, too. That-"

"We don't like to talk about that, actually."

"What?"

"The irrational arrangement of the full moon day versus the days on which the USAS declares there will be a discounted alcohol night. It's strangely complicated because of the many factors that go into it. Suffice to say, it's either a Monday or a Wednesday, and most often it's a Wednesday."

"So that's why everyone was freakin' useless."

"Yes. That's why everyone was freakin' useless."

"Though Green was freakishly useful, too. And freakishly more intelligent."

Suntree snorted.

"Hey, you didn't hear him."

"No, I didn't."

"Oh, hey, by the way, how much does an attorney make at the USAS?"

There was a moment of silence. "You know all of the questions you were hoping to avoid by bringing that up like that? Answer them."

Harry smiled a little wryly. "I can't just be curious?"

"Are you?"

"I am."

"You're not."

"Okay, I'm not. It just occurred to me that field agents are paid pretty darn well, so it seems really likely that other positions within the USAS are paid pretty darn well, too. But is being paid pretty darn well actually well paid enough to afford Hathorne's tuition, and still have a lot left over for snobby luxuries, too?"

"Carrick."

"Pretty much," Harry acknowledged.

"How is this any of your business?"

"It isn't, at the moment. But, okay, so I had lunch with Johnathan Keller and some of his friends today and…" Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "I just have this feeling, Sunny, that at some point Carrick and I are going to talk and…" Harry trailed off as he glanced down. The cat was dragging off his slippers, one in its mouth, the other hooked into the claws of one paw.

"Jamie?"

"That cat is stealing my slippers!" Harry stared for a second as the cat unhooked its claws from the slipper, then sunk them back in somewhere more secure. "That cat is stealing my slippers cleverly…"

"Both of them?"

"I did just say cleverly."

"It is a cat," Suntree pointed out.

"Hang on. I need to steal my slippers back." Harry shifted to get up. The cat looked up despite being outside of the privacy bubble, fur bristling, and shook the slipper out of its mouth to hiss at him. It sunk the claws of its other paw into the freed slipper and jerked it closer. Harry pulled his feet back up onto the chair. "You know what... those were kind of old-"

"You bought them when school started," Suntree said dryly.

"-and sure, the panda bears on them are cute-"

"You squealed when you saw them and refused to put them in the cart for nearly five minutes."

"-but I'm sure I can find something even better. Maybe something that'll keep my toes warm and mock Geoffrey at the same time."

"Really?"

"Hey, don't drip scorn on me. That leaves stains. You said it yourself: it is a cat."

"So how is Carrick's financial situation any of your business?"

"Oh, come on, Sunny. He makes fun of people for that very thing. If I have to have a talk with him, I need all my ducks lined up. Can we just accept that I'm going to use the information for good and not for evil?"

"His parents are both well respected attorneys working for the USAS. They do make enough to cover the tuition and with some clever budgeting also allow for the outward lifestyle of the well moneyed. That said," Suntree added, sounding slightly amused, "employees of the USAS are given a fifteen percent discount on tuition and other applicable fees at the top twenty schools in the country because of the extensive assessment, warding, security training, and special event support that the USAS provides for those schools. Given that both of his parents work for the USAS, the forgiveness is applied twice for their son."

"Oh. Wow. So, it's not exactly a scholarship, but it pretty much functions in the same way."

"I trust you'll use the information appropriately and discreetly."

"That's my middle name."

"Appropriately and discreetly? Well, that explains a lot. And I thought my parents were odd when they chose Oscar."

Harry's brows went up. "Your middle name is _Oscar_?"

"It's a very dignified name."

"It's the name of a green Muppet that lives in a garbage can."

"It happens to be the name of an Irish playwright and author my mother adores."

"What? Oscar Wilde?"

"Yes."

"Heavy."

"Go to bed, child," Suntree told him fondly. "It's past your bedtime."

Harry grinned. "I love you, too. Talk to you later. And thanks. Seriously. Thanks."

"Of course. Goodbye."

Harry hung up the phone and moved it back to the table, smiling a little to himself. He lingered a moment, wriggling his toes in his socks before getting up. He considered another rescue mission for his slippers, but the cat had reached the door and was turning down the hall with them. No one had noticed. Harry kicked the chair back into a chair shape, then poked at the privacy bubble he'd put up, opening up his aura a little to feel the magic of it deflate like a balloon. There was a little wheeze at the end as the last of the magic folded in on itself. Harry couldn't help but laugh as he made his way through the lounge.

"Yo! Jamie!" One of the girls in the movie watching group waved to him. "Hey! Want to watch the rest of the movie with us? We're only a third in."

Harry glanced at the clock on the lounge wall and shrugged, detouring towards the television. Magic shivered slightly and misted over him as he passed through the sound muffling ward that kept the television noises away from the rest of the room. "Yo, Josie. What are you…? Oh! _Hook_! I loved this movie."

She grinned and grabbed his hand, pulling him down onto the couch as her older sister shifted over, giving him just enough room to sandwich between them. "Nice socks, by the way," she teased. "Don't you think so, Lori?"

Her sister leaned over and laughed. "Very stylish."

"Very pretty," Josie added, putting the popcorn bowl on Harry's lap and leaning into his side.

"I have a pair almost exactly like that," Lori giggled. "Mine have pink flowers, though, instead of purple."

Harry summoned an ottoman and put his feet up grandly. "They are quite fantastic, I agree. Smashing, in fact."

One of the guys in the group shushed them, glancing over with a fleeting expression that was part glare and part envy for Harry's position.

"Oh, it's on video, for Merlin's sake," Lori said, summoning the remote to rewind. She settled against Harry's other side and stole part of his ottoman as she pushed play.

Harry tossed some popcorn into his mouth and tightened his shields against the strangely similar auras of sugary cotton candy and salty earthiness on either side of him.

* * *

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* * *

Harry turned the manila envelope over in his hands with a small, puzzled frown. The mail office had said his Entertainment Arts teacher was passing it on for someone, so Harry guessed that the squiggle on the front of the envelope was her signature, but there was nothing else on the package indicating who had sent it or what it might be. The security office inspection stamp was the only thing on the back.

There was a burst of laughter as Harry reached the foyer and he paused there, eyes moving from the small group of students clustered by the further staircase to the two paper birds, one green and one white, swooping and dive bombing each other above their heads. Abruptly the green bird smashed into the side of the white, slamming it into the wall, and both tumbled to the ground. At the last second the green bird righted itself and bobbed away unevenly, mostly crushed. Half of the students groaned and the other half laughed.

"My turn!"

"Crap. Come on, guys, a good wind could kill my bird. You have to let me fix it, at least a little."

"Nope. You know the rules. Win two more, then you can fix it."

"But it won't- Hey! Jamie! Come fly my bird!"

Harry laughed, tucking the package under his arm as he started up the other set of stairs. "I'm not letting you foist that crippled thing onto me. I'm headed to the library."

Andrew groaned. "But you could totally win."

"Yep. But I'm not gonna." Harry stopped at the landing and leaned against the rail, looking down at them. "One day you have to learn that you can't smash and slam your way through life."

"You suck."

Harry grinned and waved as he turned in the direction of the library. He studied his package again as he walked, turning the squishy manila folder over in his hands, aura sensing extended around him just enough to keep him from walking into someone. The bubble spell inside kept him from feeling out the shape of the contents.

As he walked into the library Harry pulled in his aura sensing again. He wasn't prepared to keep track of the active magic in the library as book searches zinged from one section to the next, shelf-straightening charms randomly flared, and book protection magic hummed in the background. He looked up just as a young woman smiled brightly in his direction, pushed away from a table and made her way towards him. He recognized the blonde, blue-eyed, leggy figure well enough, even though he'd had the pleasure of not running into her until now.

"Hello, sweetie!" she called out, pushing through a group of students and barely glancing back as she knocked a stack of books and papers out of someone's arms.

The bubble of air squeezed itself into one corner of the package in Harry's hands. As she drew closer, he pulled his bag around and slipped the package into the open front pocket, then brushed past her just as she stopped to talk. He dropped his bag and kneeled to help collect the books and scattered papers.

"Working on passive wards?" he asked as he collected heavily highlighted notes.

"Yeah," Lindsay said, glancing up with a shy smile. "It's research to prepare for identification and specification wards. For Defense."

Harry glanced through some of her papers as he slipped them into one of the random folders on the floor. "Sorry about the disorganization. I can't tell what belongs where."

"Oh, yeah, that. Yeah. I'll have to go through it later, but it won't be so bad. I have a sort of coding system."

"That's cool." He sorted through the books and folders he'd piled up and put a book on top, then stood with them. "I'd focus on Kellog first. If you can slog through the self-praise, he's got some pretty good stuff. Plus," Harry continued as he added his collection to her pile, "I heard somewhere that Kellog is going to be a guest speaker in a couple of weeks. Can't hurt to have the extra reading already done."

"You heard somewhere, huh?"

"It happens a lot with me, having ears and all," Harry said with a grin. "I hear things."

She laughed. "Thanks."

Harry eyed the stack of books and papers that almost reached her chin. "Do you need a library bag?"

"Oh, I have one. I was just moving to a private research room and didn't want to shove everything in a bag. Guess I know better in the future…" Lindsay glanced past Harry. "You probably better go see what she wants before she comes over and flings my things all over the library so you start paying attention to her again. Bye. And thanks again."

"I'd like to see her try," Harry muttered as Lindsay scurried away, bending down to pick up his bag.

"Jamie! Hi!"

Harry shouldered his bag and turned. She was practically on top of him. This time she hadn't left destruction in her wake.

When she stopped she struck a pose that showed off her dimpled smile and generous chest, and then she held out a manicured hand, nails long and red. "I'm Athena Knell. But of course you know that. I'm so sorry I haven't had a chance to introduce myself yet, but I've been so busy working on, well, I'm not really supposed to say," she said, flashing another smile. "But I'm sure you needed some time to settle in yourself and try to make friends."

Harry glanced down at her hand and debated for all of half of a second pretending that he had no idea who she was, then decided it'd give her too much room for self-praise. He held out his hand for a quick handshake, tightening his shields for the contact. "Yeah, sure. Harry Potter."

"And now you're settled in, and I have some time to spare, so we should definitely sit down and talk. Come on, I have a table over here."

"Super exciting, really, but I'm actually right in the middle of something pretty really important," Harry lied. "Hence being in the library. To do library things. Instead of being somewhere else less library-like. And then I'm meeting someone. I should go."

"Oh." She paused for a moment, then flashed him a wide, white smile and leaned in close. "I'm sure whoever you're meeting with will completely understand that you stopped to talk to me, Jamie. It's okay. In fact-"

"It's Harry," he interrupted. "One. And two, no. I'm busy."

Her lips pursed for a moment, and then the wide smile came back. "Of course. I'll just take a couple of brief minutes, then. And I can't accept no for an answer because this can't wait. It's only going to get worse. Now, I just want you to know that I'm not saying anything bad about your mom or your friends or anything, because I'm sure they're really doing the best they can, but whoever's responsible for your publicity is-"

Harry relaxed his grip on his bag. "What?"

"Your publicity, dear-"

"Harry."

"I'm talking about your publicity. Whoever's handling it is doing, well, it's not that great of a job, honestly. Oh, don't worry," she assured as Harry began to frown, "nothing bad has happened. Yet. But I've seen it before. Someone suddenly finds themselves thrust into the public eye and their mom or uncle or someone they know steps in to handle the publicity, and everyone thinks they're doing a good job, but it's really something just best left to a professional. Luckily for you, so far the only thing you're suffering from is a lack of publicity, and that's something you can turn around like that," she snapped her fingers, "if you just know the right people. And I do."

"Right. So. Okay, it's very- interesting that you're so concerned about me-"

"Oh, think nothing of it-"

"Very easily done."

"Yes, of course my time is valuable," Athena continued with a laugh, "but I'm always willing to help a new young star in need. And make no mistake, you're a bright new star in need of nurturing-"

"Not really."

"-so I'm stepping up and helping you out. My publicist and I already have it all worked out. Isn't that awesome?"

"Awe is most certainly being inspired at the moment," Harry agreed. "Really? All worked out?"

She took his hand and shifted like she was about to pull him along after her, then seemed to think the better of trying and clasped his hand in both of hers instead, moving a little closer still. Her aura was cloying, over-ripe, and powerfully distracting. "Absolutely. We'll start by going places together in the public eye. Nothing too exciting at first," she said quickly. "Going into town will be more than adequate for your first ventures. We let word get out that we're friends, get people interested, and catch the attention of the press. That's when we'll go out somewhere properly in public-"

"No, that's not going to happen," Harry cut in, pulling his hand free. He gripped his bag with both hands.

"No need to be shy-"

"Believe me, shy is not a problem. I just-"

"It won't be often, of course," she continued brightly. "It's very good to maintain the studious student appearance, and we can't do that if we're always out and about town. But it'll be just often enough that people want to know more."

"It's actually not that easy for me to be out and about in the world at large. You clearly haven't noticed, but I do have a body guard presence-"

"And it makes you look very exciting and intriguing, though a tad hard to approach. But we can work with it. I've made superstars out of less than you."

"Wow…"

"Exactly! All right, my people will work out how to handle the public appearances with your people. That's why we hire people, after all. But you should most definitely start planning for my next movie premiere. It's in November, so two months should be quite enough time for us to make you into someone worth noticing. We'll go out to dinner, somewhere charming and sophisticated, but not something that says dating, just the best of friends, and then we'll attend the-"

"I'm not interested," Harry interrupted.

"Right now, yes, but only because-"

"No."

"There's a lot out there that's passing you-"

"No."

"You have no idea what sort of opportunity you're being handed here." Athena's smile slipped a little. "You can't expect to generate good publicity by doing nothing."

"And I don't. I already have the kind of press exposure I want, and the right plan for increasing it when I wish it-"

"No, no, no. You think you do, but you don't. You'll see once you start doing things with me-"

"Miss Knell-"

"Athena, sweetie. I know you want to be respectful, but really-"

"Miss. Knell."

She gave a start. Several nearby people glanced over, then away again with great intent. "Yes?"

"I'm not interested. No. Listen. I have gone out of my way to avoid unnecessary publicity and limit my exposure to the press up to this point," Harry told her firmly. "I want to be as normal as I possibly can be for me. I assure you, no one is holding me back. My publicity is being handled with expert care."

"But you haven't had the right kind of press, really. And a movie premiere would be perfect. You'd meet all of the right people. I might even be able to get you a small part in my next movie! Oh, wouldn't that be exciting!"

Harry fixed her with a long, hard look. Athena continued to smile brightly for a few moments, then fidgeted slightly and wilted a little, but it only took a moment for her confidence to return and she fixed him with another dazzling, encouraging smile, reaching out to touch him.

Harry stepped back from her hand. "Miss Knell, I cannot stress enough how uninterested I am in your proposal. Clearly. So I'm just going to remind you that I have things to do and there are far greater considerations than my wants or desires in what I do and don't do publicly. Have a good day." Harry moved around her and made his way towards the bookshelves, ignoring the few sounds of aborted speech that she made as he moved away.

"I'll have my people call your people," she called out at last.

"Yeah, I'm sure you will." Harry turned to follow a row of shelves, glancing back to make sure she wasn't following. For a moment he thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar face peering at him from around another bookshelf, but when he turned to look properly, Ambrose wasn't there. "Huh…"

Harry shifted his bag on his shoulder, pausing to study the package sticking out of the front pocket, absently rubbing his right palm against his pants. After a moment he glanced down at his palm, then dropped his backpack, closed his eyes, and took several long, cleansing breaths. With each breath he pulled his aura sensing in a little tighter, closing his shields around himself, cutting out the world, until he was nearly completely self-contained. He held the state for a moment, feeling strangely small, and then he began to spread his shields out again with each breath until the world was back to normal, easily ignored sensations lapping at the edges of his magic like creeping ocean waves on the beach.

"You okay, Jamie?"

Harry opened his eyes and focused on Sean. "Great. What's up?"

"Grabbing a book for potions. I'm an assistant teacher this afternoon for Professor Jac. I'm also kind of running late, but I noticed you just standing there with a kind of weird look on your face so I stopped."

"Kind of weird?"

Sean shrugged. "It was sort of spaced out and focused at the same time."

"Ah. No, I'm fine. Just dodged listening to Athena Knell talk about how fantastic she is for an hour."

Sean frowned. "Who?"

"Athena Knell? Teenage mega-superstar? She's been the plucky heroine in movies since she was eight or something?"

Sean shrugged again.

Harry grinned. "And you've just made my day. Never change. Except, you know, where you should be changing so you become a real adult one day or something."

"Uh huh. Well, I'm happy to have accidentally made your day, but I've got some brushing up to do so I know what stuff they're teaching in basic potions."

"Level Five potions is not basic," Harry called after him. "Even if it is Applied Potions."

Sean waved vaguely in his direction.

Harry shook his head with a chuckle and grabbed his bag then continued on his way to the Hall of Portraits. He'd barely left the section he'd stopped in when he almost tripped over an elf as they each turned the corner.

"Oh, hey, sorry about that," Harry glanced at the uniform tunic for the nametag, "Kippal." He picked up the small ledger the elf had been holding and handed it back.

She took the ledger and flipped back to the page it'd been on, making a mark with her thumb, and then waved a long finger at him. "Mister Potter shouldn't be blending all over the library," she chided as she tucked the ledger into the large pocket on the front of her tunic, then continued down the aisle, a library cart following after her. The small stone gargoyle perched on one of the handles shook a tiny fist at him.

"Hey." Harry hurried after the fast-moving elf. "Hey, Kippal, wait a second."

She stopped and rested her hands on the top of the ledger, waiting expectantly.

"What do you mean I shouldn't be blending all over the library?"

"Mister Potter is always blended everywhere." She spread her arms widely. "Kippal doesn't know where Mister Potter is when Kippal's eyes aren't looking at him."

"Uh…" Harry's brows furrowed a little. "Wait, do you mean sensing my aura?"

"Sensing youse non-elves. It's how Kippal and other elves do our jobs without Misters and Misses tripping over us at every corner. Except for Mister Potter," she added reproachfully. "Mister Potter is everywhere."

"Oh."

She nodded, ears flapping, then turned and began directing books from the cart to the shelves with decisive gestures. The stone gargoyle hopped to the edge of the cart handle and made a buzzing sound to get his attention, then stretched out its hands towards him in a 'gimme, gimme, gimme' gesture.

Harry reached out to tap the little stone hat on top of its little stone head. "I'm onto you, Steve. I know for a fact I don't have any overdue books."

Kippal turned and gave the cart a little jiggle. The gargoyle crossed its arms and hunched in on itself sullenly. "Mister Potter can tell the collectors apart? And named them?"

Harry laughed. "I call them all Steve." He dug into his pocket for a coin and handed the gargoyle a dime. The gargoyle snatched it eagerly and shook it beside one of its large bat-like ears. Apparently satisfied with that, it tapped the coin against the side of its head, sniffed along the face, then held it out at arm's length to stare at it with a scowl.

"If you don't want the dime…" Harry said, moving to take it back.

The gargoyle hastily crammed the dime into its mouth and swallowed. A moment later there was a change-on-change ting from its belly and the gargoyle grinned widely, rubbing its large round stomach, then held out its hands for more. Harry handed it another dime and watched with a grin as the gargoyle went through the shake, tap, sniff, cram, swallow, and beg routine again.

"As often as people just randomly feed you little guys, I bet the library is pulling in four or five times more than what's actually due."

Kippal laughed, a nearly silent almost squeak, and tugged an ear slyly.

"That's the point, huh?"

"Kippal knows nothing."

"Right." Harry laughed. "Hey, how do you get the change out of them?"

Kippal shook her head. "Mister Potter doesn't want to know."

"I…" Harry nodded. "You're right. Mister Potter doesn't want to know. Though I do want to know what you mean when you say I blend everywhere. Are you talking about my aura blending into the surrounding magic?"

"Mister Potter doesn't know?"

"I knew I was extended out, but I didn't know that I was actually diffused into the surrounding magic or whatever I'm doing."

"You is."

"And you can't actually sense me?"

The elf shook her head again. "Kippal knows Mister Potter exists. Mister Potter just feels far away and Kippal can't sense where, and then Kippal trips over Mister Potter. Kippal might have been carrying things," she added meaningfully. "Lots of things."

"Huh. I'll work on that."

"Mister Potter should." Kippal reached into her uniform pocket and pulled out a wooden disc with eight equal-sized clock hands on it pointing in various directions, the face completely blank. The hands looked like they were made from toothpick halves. She turned it so the single notch along the edge was at the top, studied the arrangement of hands, then tucked it away. "Kippal has tasks to be getting to and Mister Potter has school doings."

"Right. Sorry. Have a good day."

"Mister Potter will study hard."

Harry chuckled and nodded. "That I will." He left Kippal to directing books back onto the shelves and marking things off in her ledger. As he continued through the shelves to reach the Hall of Portraits, he felt along the border of his aura. It felt normal to him, wispy yet slightly sticky at the edges to filter through the magic that he ultimately noticed. It was thin but substantial and felt distinctly different from the surrounding magic everywhere except the furthest edges, where the line between them blurred. He supposed that feeling it from the inside out was different from perceiving it strictly from the outside.

The shelves ended and the library opened up onto a section of single person tables. He continued beyond that to a hallway that led to the private study rooms, the restricted reference section and, at the end, the Hall of Portraits. He pushed through the Hall's double doors into a room far longer than it was wide. Portraits lined the walls on either side of him, each with a large table-like desk beneath it, two chairs, and cubicle-like partitions separating each desk and portrait into a private conference area. Each cubicle partition had a sign on the top with the professor's name and their areas of expertise. Every four to six desks, there was a desk missing and landscapes and other painted settings of all kinds filled the gap almost from floor to ceiling. Half-height bookshelves ran down the center of the room, most only half-filled with the overflow reference books that didn't fit on the shelf along the back of each desk.

Harry started into the room then paused, turning to the first desk on the right where the ghost of Clarence McKinley Baswell was arguing with the portrait of Clarence McKinley Baswell. Harry tried his best not to grin too much as he made his way over.

"Nonsense, you old fool! Complete nonsense!" The ghost tried to plant his hands on the desk as he glared at the man in the portrait. His hands sank into the desk up to his wrists before stopping. "As usual you're approaching the divisions of magic with a hammer, nay, a sledgehammer. You unnecessarily complicate things by suggesting charms and transfiguration should be a singular category of magic, and worse, you completely destroy the basic principles of-"

"Ludicrous!" The man in the portrait moved into the background of the picture in disgust, beginning to pace the library that had been painted around him. "All of the most illuminated scholars agree that charms and transfiguration are operating on the same principles of magical agency. To remove the divide will remove the limitations-"

"And create a state of chaos and anarchy! The only point to which I will concede, ever grudgingly, with pain in my very heart, is that charms and transfigurations must be given a far stricter set of defining-"

"Which is the entire purpose of my bringing the two together into one, you ignoramus. Why do you never listen? Did you suffer a grievous head injury after I was painted? Were you cursed to ever haunt the world as a Neanderthal? By bringing them together, we can then think of castable magic as a full branch of magic and appropriate subdivisions will arise from the ashes of the old and-"

"How fantastic! How novel! You clearly have been damaged in the years since my last sitting imparted my genius onto you. Yes, completely turn the very foundations of magic on its head, only to divide them once again into transfigurations and charms, as is only inevitable-"

"Only if the rest of the world is as mired in intellectual muck as you," the man in the portrait snorted. "What would emerge would be far more precise subdivisions of magic with far greater encompassing powers. Yes, there would be transformative magic, and of course there will be charms, and there would also be-"

"I think all magic ought to just be put under the umbrella of arithmancy and then subdivided from there," Harry put in with a grin.

Both the portrait and ghost turned their attention to him, wearing identical expressions of confusion that quickly changed into identical expressions of stunned disbelief.

"Did you say arithmancy?" the portrait asked. "Did he say arithmancy?" he asked his ghost.

"He did," the ghost agreed.

"But arithmancy isn't inherently magical-"

"Technically, actually, it does have inherent magical properties," the ghost corrected.

"Yes, of course, but in comparison to other disciplines that actually produce magic, we might as well simply discount it."

"I completely agree." The ghost nodded emphatically. "That's not to say that arithmancy does not have a very valued place in the field of magical study-"

"Oh, I'd never say that." The portrait came close to the frame and leaned on the desk that was painted right at its edge. "But arithmancy is far more a tool of magic, not a means by which magic itself occurs."

"If one were to do anything at all with arithmancy as a whole, it would make far more sense to break it down and make it a subdivision within the various other magical disciplines in which it's so effectively used."

"But that's only if one were given no choice but to break it down." The portrait shook his head. "Arithmancy is far too complex, with far too many subdivisions of its own, with a very rich history and so many cascading theories-"

"But for all its richness and complexity and the boundless base theories that inform so many other disciplines, it could never support being the pillar from which all magic branches out."

"Never."

"You, young man, need to have a serious talk with one of your teachers if you're that misinformed about arithmancy," the ghost told him seriously. "You are in dire need of basic instruction."

Harry grinned. "Nice to see you two can agree about something. Though, have to admit, arithmancy is one of my strongest subjects. See you later." He turned to leave, a little skip in his step.

"I do believe we've been bested," the portrait said slowly as Harry continued further into the room.

"I do believe you're right," the ghost agreed.

Harry paused as he came to a gap between the desks, stepping closer to study the largest picture on the wall, an inviting library that looked like it stretched forever into the background of the painting. This setting was far more populated than the other half dozen that surrounded it, like the tree dappled spring-time picnic setting directly beneath the library, or above it the gently rippling lake that was so clear the sandy bottom was almost surreal.

One of the librarians noticed him and came to the edge of the portrait, leaning in close. "Are you trying to locate someone?" she asked quietly.

"Oh, no. Just sort of looking. How can the portraits actually read the books painted here?" Harry asked curiously. "I mean, most of them don't have titles or anything."

The librarian smiled. "When a person is painted for a magical portrait, a temporary bond is created between sitter and artist. The sitter's magical essence is slowly absorbed into the ink and then built into an image of them as the painter works. The longer the sitting, the more sessions, the more of the person collected, the more of that person is imbued into their portrait. The same is true of a magical place that has its own magical essence, its own soul, collected experiences, knowledge. All of the libraries painted for the Hall are magical libraries. Many of them are old and full of books that are magical in their own right, magic that becomes a part of the essence as it's collected in the paint. Even more importantly, all of the libraries painted here were done in many sessions."

"Huh. Cool. So all of the settings are magical and that's why people can interact?"

"For most, yes. The others involved a more complicated process."

"Thanks." Harry gave the library a last look then continued towards the back of the room where the defense experts were loosely grouped. He considered settling there, but decided against it and continued to the door at the end of the hall instead, to visit the restricted section of the portrait hall. The portrait monitoring the room looked up from his reading and sized him up as he approached.

"Are you an L6 or L7?" the severe man asked. "Or do you have a note from a member of the staff?"

"Neither. I'm on the list." Harry pulled out his ID and swiped it through the reader by the door, then held it up for the portrait to see.

The man frowned and directed his wheelchair closer to the table at the far side of the portrait where he checked a list. After a few moments of glancing between his list and Harry's ID he nodded and twisted a knob on the desk, then returned to his fireside spot to read. The door unlocked with a click and Harry pulled it open.

The room within was set up like a smaller version of the room he'd just left with partitioned desks, overflow books on shelves down the center of the room, and settings and recreational paintings dividing sections of desks. There were only a few students in the room, though, talking quietly to portraits, and the settings and recreational paintings had a decidedly more dangerous look to them, like the foreboding cliffs for mountain climbing and the deep African jungle that took up almost half of the wall section it was on.

Harry made his way to the back of the room, nodding hello to several portraits and catching a few comments about sacrificial magic as he passed Professor Lovejoy's desk. He stopped at a desk with an empty portrait and put his stuff down, then leaned in to knock firmly on the portrait frame before sitting. He pulled out his package and studied it as he waited.

"Well, look at what the dragon dragged in," a rough voice said.

Harry looked back to the portrait with a grin. "And how are you on this fine day, Auror Beth Bethy?"

The older woman in the portrait snorted and dragged a couch at the back of the portrait closer to the front, then sprawled out. The jacket of her dress uniform was tossed over the back of a chair and her uniform shirt was unbuttoned as much as she could get away with, showing off a hint of cleavage and a long jagged scar that stretched from somewhere near her shoulder down to the top of her chest and disappeared into her shirt.

"Might be a fine fucking day on the living side of the portrait, but I got pinned down by Markson and had to listen to him bray on and on about-"

"How he improved the self defense shield-vests?" Harry nodded. "I made the mistake of asking him a question about that the last time I was in the Portrait Gal and I thought I'd never be able to leave. Luckily, another Auror wandered into his portrait with a bottle of wine and 'accidently' spilled it on the floor."

"We should have a drink to fortunate interruptions," she declared.

"I can't drink. And even if I could, I'm at school, in the library, and it's the middle of the day."

"Eh, I didn't want to move anyway." She collapsed a little more into the couch, tugging her long white braid out from underneath her. "What's that?" she nodded to the package on the table. "Sure as shit can't be a present for me, so it's less interesting. But I'm still curious."

Harry laughed. "I don't know. I got a note this morning with my mail to pick up a package from the front office. I haven't had a chance to open it. My teacher passed it on from someone."

"Passed it on from someone?" she asked suspiciously.

"It passed the security inspection." Harry turned the envelope over to show her the green stamp.

"Carry on, then."

Harry laughed and poked the package with his finger, directing a little needle of magic at the bubble charm. For a moment nothing happened, and then the package made a little sighing sound and deflated. Harry neatly cut the top of the package open with another touch of magic and emptied the contents of the envelope onto the desk. A folded up black T-shirt slid out.

"Clothes?"

Harry shrugged and picked up the shirt. As it moved a CD case slipped out. "And some music, it looks like."

"The last package I got had a severed finger in it," Auror Bethy said thoughtfully.

"Good? Or bad?" Harry picked up the CD and turned it over. He couldn't stop the grin.

"Good. Really good. Except for the part where I died the next day. But it happens. You've gone all red."

"No I haven't," Harry denied.

"I made a hobby of embarrassing people back when I was breathing. I know red when I see it. Is it from a secret admirer?"

"No."

"Not so secret admirer? Secret boyfriend? A crush? Ah." She laughed. "You have got to work on your poker face. So, who's the crush?"

"One of my favorite country artists," Harry said, shaking out the T-shirt. He couldn't stop the giggle. There was a sleek blue dragon wearing a cowboy hat and playing a guitar on the front of the shirt.

"Fierce Pierce Whilen, huh?" Auror Bethy said dryly.

Harry turned the shirt around to find that on the back in fiery font.

"Oh magic save me," Auror Bethy groaned when she saw the front of the shirt. "Yeah, because playing a guitar is so fierce. You want to hear about fierce? I can tell you a story that'll put hair on your ba-"

"He used to be a dragon wrangler," Harry interrupted, putting the shirt down and picking up the CD again.

"Oh. All right, I suppose he can call himself fierce."

"Hey, he signed the insert thingy for me," Harry said brightly. "And this CD doesn't even come out for two weeks."

"Yeah, that's not too impressive. 'To my friend Harry Potter, enjoy the new CD, from-'"

"Actually, he addressed it to Jamie, and it says I should check out song five because he really thinks I'll like it, and that this has three bonus songs that won't be released on the album until the rerelease next year, and I should keep rocking the shoelaces."

"The shoelaces?"

"Yeah. When I met him I'd been wearing my sneakers with the enchanted faces laces. They've got smiley faces on them that make faces every thirty seconds or something."

"All right, I guess that's pretty cool."

Harry closed the CD and folded the shirt up, then slipped them back into the envelope. "My mom wasn't entirely impressed with the shoelaces. It'd been on the third day of my birthday party. But it was my birthday, and I'm twelve, and that's pretty much who I am, so they can take it or leave it."

"I say we drink to that."

Harry ignored her. "I actually have a question I can ask you today. Well, I say question, but I mean I actually have something defense related to talk about. Sort of." Harry opened his bag and pulled out a notebook. "Have you heard of my bunny ears?"

She started to laugh. "And seen them. I don't know what Cassle did to piss you off…?"

"It's a bit of a long story involving the repetition of obnoxious farting noises," Harry said into the waiting pause, scowling.

She laughed again. "He always was an insufferable twat. He had them for, what? Three days? They were gorgeous, and not just because they were a fantastically humiliating pink and wouldn't fold down under a hat. They looked incredibly soft. It was especially impressive when he tried to wear a top hat to cover them up and the hat turned pink."

Harry's brows went up. "No one mentioned that part to me. I didn't make that part of the spell."

"You sure? Because it happened. Maybe it was a subconscious focus."

"I'm very sure. That's actually one of the problems I'm having. I have to narrow my concentration down to a very fine point and pack as much power into the spell as possible to make breaking the magic nearly impossible. I don't have any attention or magic to spare for unintentional effects…" Harry sighed then laughed. "Right. Forgot I was a Magurist for a moment. So, that was completely me and not me at all."

She shook her head. "You magies are queer ducks."

"Oh so much… But that's my problem. Not the Magurist thing. That's an ongoing state of altered reality. But it's actually a lot harder to cast that spell than I make it seem, and I've been trying to tweak it to require less effort on my part. Ordinarily I'd bring this to one of my PD's and we'd work it out, but I don't want them to have the key to the spell. I have plans to alter the spell in amusing ways once I'm no longer directing all of my magical power into giving the spell staying power."

"Count me in." She sat up and rubbed her hands together with glee. "Do you have some sort of idea in mind for how you want to tweak it?"

"Seems a bit obvious, really." Harry began to flip through his notebook. "The best way is to open a bit of a channel to the other person's magic. I don't have to super concentrate my magic to achieve permanence because their magic is constantly rebuilding the structure of the spell."

"But by tying the spell into their magic, you're leaving a bigger weak spot in the spell and showing them where it is, yeah," Auror Bethy said, nodding.

"Yeah…" Harry glanced over as the door to the room opened, then looked back to Auror Bethy with an internal sigh when he saw who it was.

"You have the mathematical breakdown of your spell?" she asked, moving to the edge of her seat.

"Yeah." Harry set his open notebook down the desk and pulled out his wand. He tapped the center of both pages then set his wand down right along the spiral of the notebook. There was a shift in the magic around Harry, like it was being sucked in towards the wand, and then both of the pages were projected into the space above the desk.

"Neat and orderly handwriting," she approved. "You wouldn't believe how many students come in with big, important defense projects and show me notes that don't even look like any language, let alone one I can read."

There was a loud snort to Harry's right.

Harry held in another sigh and turned to the young man who'd stopped just to the side of his desk area. "Auren Favor-Freedom," he greeted cheerfully. "How are you today?"

"Working on actual schoolwork," he said shortly. "Something you're clearly not doing because you've been excused from all levels of defense." He scowled at the projection.

Harry turned the wand ninety degrees, deactivating the projection but not cancelling the spell. "That actually answered the question 'what are you doing today?', but I can pretty much guess from your answer that you're not in a happy place. That's really sad. Have you tried chocolate? Or-"

"I was in a pretty good place until I came in here and saw you hogging student resources you don't need."

"Or banana muffins?" Harry snapped his fingers. "You know what? I recommend banana muffins with chocolate chips. Instant happy."

"Does your Wunderkind Harry Potter free defense pass come with a free pass all over the school, too?"

"Do you actually need to talk to Auror Bethy?" Harry asked.

"No, he does not," Auror Bethy put in coldly.

"Because I can totally move," Harry continued. "I can come back later."

"No, you can't," Auror Bethy said. "Because I'm not helping him. He can go wake up Horace."

Harry glanced over at Auror Bethy and decided not to argue with the steely look on her face. He looked back to Favor-Freedom. "You really should call me Jamie. Harry Potter's almost more of a-"

"That's not happening."

"And I wouldn't really say I have a free pass of any kind. I'm still working my butt off in defense. I'm just doing it outside of the classroom. I have trained Aurors as instructors-"

"Yeah, so do I," Favor-Freedom interrupted. "I've had retired Auror instructors since I was ten. I've been the Junior Division Dueling world champion for four years in a row, and before that the Youth Division Dueling champion. I get paid to attend dueling exhibitions all over the world. But they're still making me attend the upper level defense classes here. All four. And _you're_ being scheduled to come into those classes and demonstrate things!"

"Just because you-"

Harry held up a stilling hand and shook his head slightly, silencing Auror Bethy. He could feel her disapproving stare on his back. "It's not really related to my ability versus yours-"

"Yes it is," Auror Bethy interrupted.

Favor-Freedom scowled.

Harry shot a warning look over his shoulder, then turned his attention back to Favor-Freedom. "It's really a lot more complicated than that. There're security issues and things related to the style in which I've been trained and making a more efficient use of my time given that I'm still receiving instruction outside of school and… she's shaking her head no to everything I'm saying, isn't she?" Harry asked as Favor-Freedom simply looked more unimpressed.

Favor-Freedom nodded curtly.

Harry glanced around. "You're not helping."

"Excellent. I'm doing my best to be as unhelpful as possible. I like succeeding."

"You know what I think," Favor-Freedom said, mouth thinning into a line. "I think you're completely full of shit. You might be pretty good in defense, but I don't think you're all that good and they're trying to preserve the illusion of Harry Potter."

Auror Bethy burst into laughter. "Oh, that's fucking priceless. Perfection. If that's true, why is he doing demonstrations to your class, huh? If that's true-"

"Auror Bethy," Harry interrupted, "kindly let me do the talking."

"I don't know why you're scheduled for demonstrations or anything else. But I do know that you're getting a free pass, and if I haven't earned it, you sure as hell haven't earned it. I resent my abilities being judged against a standard that no one's even allowed to see." Favor-Freedom brushed past Harry's seat and settled at a desk at the very back of the room.

Harry shifted to face Auror Bethy's portrait again with a sigh.

"Can I curse him?" Auror Bethy asked.

"No, you can't curse- can you actually curse someone?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure as shit up for giving it a try."

"No, you can't curse him."

"What're your PDs doing about _that_ problem?"

"My PDs don't know about that problem." Harry fixed her with a look. "And you're not going to tell them, you understand? And you're not going to tell someone else who's going to tell them. Or tell another portrait who's going to tell them. This is an issue I'm working on. Some people don't like that I'm not taking defense classes, some for more legitimate reasons than others, and I'm going to work it out."

She snorted.

"So promise me you won't tell."

"Do you want me to pinky swear, too?" she mocked.

"Don't be ridiculous. We have no way of linking pinkies. But I know you'll keep your promise if you ever want me to trust you."

She stared at him then rolled her eyes. "Fine. I promise."

"To?"

"I promise I won't tell your PDs. And I won't tell another painted being who will then tell your PDs. And I won't tell another breathing person who will then tell your PDs. Satisfied now?"

"Immensely." Harry scooted closer to the desk and turned the wand, projecting the pages into the air again. "I've got about half an hour. Let's talk about changing the bunny ears so the recipient's own magic makes them almost impossible to remove."


End file.
